Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin on Tuesday announced that his party will push for a constitutional amendment to remove the provision requiring the Governor to address the state legislature at the start of the year.
Stalin’s remarks came after Governor R.N. Ravi declined to read the government-prepared speech in the Assembly, citing “inaccuracies,” and walked out, marking the fourth such instance since taking office in 2021.
“It is not right for a Governor to refuse the government-prepared address every year,” Stalin said in the Assembly, noting that similar issues occur in other non-BJP-ruled states as well.
He questioned the relevance of a practice repeatedly violated, suggesting that it may be time to reconsider its place in the Constitution.
The Chief Minister said the DMK will seek support from like-minded parties in Parliament to amend the Constitution and remove the mandate for the Governor’s annual address. “Let us demand a Constitutional amendment that the Governor’s Address is unnecessary,” he tweeted, emphasizing that this step would benefit all opposition-ruled states.
Stalin also asserted that the four-year achievements of his government, following the Dravidian model, should not be overshadowed by the Governor’s refusal to deliver the policy speech.