CHENNAI: Following the Madras High Court verdict that sentenced Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi to three years of imprisonment in a disproportionate wealth case, the portfolios held by him - Higher Education and a few other subjects - have been allocated to RS Rajakannappan, Minister for Backward Classes Welfare, as additional charges.
A Raj Bhavan communication here said on the recommendation of Chief Minister MK Stalin, Governor RN Ravi has allocated the portfolios of Higher Education, Technical education, Electronics, Science, and Technology, previously dealt with by Ponmudi to Rajakannappan.
The Governor has also approved the recommendation of the Chief Minister that the portfolios of Khadi and Village Industries Board looked after by Rajakannappan be allocated to Minister for Handlooms and Textiles R Gandhi. This is in addition to the portfolios of handlooms and textiles, Boodhan and Gramadhan already looked after by Gandhi.
On March 29, 2022, on the recommendation of the Chief Minister, the portfolios - Transport, Nationalised Transport, and Motor Vehicles Act, dealt with by Rajakannappan, were allocated to Minister SS Sivasankar. Kannappan was then also made the Minister for Backward Classes Welfare. Later, in December, Kannappan was given the portfolios - Khadi and Village Industries Board - as additional charges. These portfolios were taken from Gandhi.
Meanwhile, official sources said the State Assembly department will be declaring the Thirukovilur Assembly constituency represented by Ponmudi as vacant once the copy of the Madras High Court's sentencing order is received.