Office of profit: TN man moves Madras HC to get Guv RN Ravi ousted

CHENNAI: Alleging that Governor RN Ravi is holding an ‘office of profit’ as the head of Puducherry-based Auroville Foundation, a petitioner has moved the Madras High Court seeking his disqualification.

The petition filed by M Kannadasan, Kancheepuram president of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, said Ravi, who assumed charge as governor on September 18, 2021, was appointed  full-time chairperson of Auroville Foundation on October, 6, 2021, by the union ministry of education by exercising powers under section 11 r/w 12 of Auroville Foundation Act, 1988.  “It is a public office. It carries salary for the post,” the petitioner said.  

Quoting Article 158 (2) of the constitution, the petitioner said the governor is barred from holding any other office of profit. “It is submitted that once he accepted an office entitling him to a salary and other allowances, he suffers disqualification and he is not entitled to continue in the office of the governor anymore ... ,” Kannadasan said in the petition.

He added that the moment the governor violated Article 158 (2) of the Constitution, he ceased to be Tamil Nadu governor. Saying that the governor was holding the office without legal authority from the date on which he incurred disqualification, the petitioner said he was liable to be removed from the post through issuance of the writ of “quo warranto”.  

Kannadasan also said Ravi had became a “controversial figure” as he participated  in public events and spoke about the principles of “RSS” and advocated “Sanatana Dharma”, which were against the principles of the Dravidian movement.