Browsing: COLUMNS

Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion. And Caesar, too. The Governor being the ‘titular’ Head of State under the Constitution should not only be fair and even but also must appear to be so. He must not conduct himself in a way inviting aspersions to be cast either on his office or his person, by way of his associations.

It is one thing to command respect, but an entirely different thing to demand. The Constitution when conceiving the post of governership intended it to be one which commands respect. The phrase ‘Head of State‘ is only a title and does not bestow any executive powers, which are vested in the Ministry headed by the Chief Minister.

The Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by the President on the advice of the Union Cabinet. lt is not an appointment under the warrant and seal of the President. His salary is paid out of the consolidated fund of the Union which is voted by Parliament which can also fix his tenure of office by legislation.

Conflicts between the legislature and judiciary are not uncommon in a democracy. History is replete with instances of confrontation between the two institutions and one can easily spell out any number of issues in which the decision of one has been negated by the other.

“We believe in action” was AlADMK supremo Ms Jayalalitha’s assertion when addressing the cadres at the party birthday celebrations yesterday. And that made all the difference we should add.

The stage appears to be set again! And the actors are ready with their ‘script’ to enact yet another sordid drama on the Tamilnadu political scene. The allusion is to the joint statement issued yesterday after a meeting of all the Opposition parties in the State

Not a drop of blood shed; no human sacrifices in the form of self-immolation; nor a bus was burnt or public property damaged! Yet a revolution has taken place; a social revolution which has been made possible because of one person’s perseverance and conviction for a just cause and above all, unswerving faith in the democratic process.

The TNCC president, Mr K. Ramamurthy is back at his old game of Jaya baiting. He had ridiculed the Chief Minister’s request to the Centre to include the Bill on reservations in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution forgetting that only a week back both the Prime Minister and Home Minister had given clear indications of the amendment being introduced in the current Parliament session itself

Ms. Jayalalitha’s foresight and approach has made all the difference! The President has given his assent to the State Bill providing for continuation of reservation of 69 per cent for the Backward and Most Backward Classes, paving the way for colleges to go ahead with the admissions.