CHENNAI: CM MK Stalin described the SC verdict that held the action of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi 'illegal' to reserve the 10 Bills readopted by the State Assembly to the President as a 'monumental victory' not only for Tamil Nadu, but for all State governments in the country.
He informed about the SC verdict in the State Assembly, highlighting that the 10 Bills would be considered as assent granted by the Governor.
"I convey happy news to the House about the 'historic verdict' which has just been delivered by the Supreme Court in favour of the Tamil Nadu government," the Chief Minister said.
He also recalled that the Governor had returned many important Bills.
"The House re-adopted those Bills and sent them back to the Governor. Though the Constitution mandates that the Governor has to give his assent to the Bills adopted for the second time, the governor delayed assent and contended that he had powers to do so," he said.
The CM said the Tamil Nadu government approached the Supreme Court against this decision of the Governor.
"Accepting the fairness in the arguments of the State government, the SC has held that withholding assent to the 10 Bills was illegal and that it should be construed that these Bills have received the Governor’s assent. It is indeed a historic verdict not only for Tamil Nadu but also for all other States in the country," he added.
The CM said Tamil Nadu fought to assert the DMK’s cardinal principles of State autonomy and federalism.
"Tamil Nadu fought. Tamil Nadu will fight. Tamil Nadu will win," CM Stalin said amidst thumping of desks by DMK and its alliance parties.
Thanking the Supreme Court for upholding the rights bestowed on the State Assemblies (in enacting legislations) on behalf of the MLAs and on behalf of the people of the State who elected the MLAs, the CM said that MLAs and leaders of all the parties have welcomed the ruling, except the principal opposition party of AIADMK and the BJP that is ruling at the Centre.
He requested the members of all parties, except the AIADMK and the BJP to convey their happiness by thumping desks. Accordingly, all the members of the DMK and allied parties thumped the desks to thank the Supreme Court on behalf of the House and the people of Tamil Nadu.
Though the MLAs of the AIADMK and BJP were present in the House, they did not make any remarks. Taking a dig at the AIADMK MLAs for failing to thank the Supreme Court for this verdict, Speaker M Appavu pointed out that one of the 10 bills cleared by the SC was the Bill to rename the fisheries university in Nagapattinam after former Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa.
