CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin, accompanied by senior Cabinet colleagues called on Governor RN Ravi on Saturday as per the advice of the Supreme Court to sort out the ‘outstanding issues’. While the CM renewed his request for early assent to the pending Bills and files, the Raj Bhavan release said the governor promised to act within the bounds of the Constitution and suggested periodic meetings with the CM.
However, Raj Bhavan did not say anything about the Bills and files. Summing up the meeting between the CM and Governor, Law Minister S Regupathy told reporters: “The meeting was cordial. But we have to see the result of this meeting only in the court.”
Senior ministers Duraimurugan, S Regupathy, Thangam Thennarasu, and RS Rajakannappan, and Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena, were present during the discussions.
During the discussions, the CM also handed over a letter addressed to the governor regarding the Bills and files. In the letter, the CM said he has high regard for all Constitutional posts and in the interest of the people and state administration, these issues should be resolved soon. Regupathy said the governor has forwarded 10 Bills re-adopted by the State Assembly to the President stating that those Bills fell under the purview of Entry 66 of Article 7 of the Constitution.
“During the discussions today, we pointed out that the governor made this contention when the Bills were first placed before him for assent, the government would have clarified its stance.”
The Law Minister also said “In all, the governor has forwarded 20 Bills to the GOI. Of them, eight were forwarded to the GOI at the request of the State government. As of now, only one Bill relating to the Agriculture department is pending with the Governor.”
“For the premature release of long-serving prisoners, 112 files were sent in the first phase. The governor accorded sanction for the premature release of 68 prisoners and rejected the request for two prisoners. So, 42 files are still pending with the governor. Seven more files were also sent to the governor as per court orders for the premature release of prisoners. So, 49 files are pending before the governor now. We have sought early approval for the premature release of these prisoners also,” he added.
Minister RS Kannappan said certain university-related Bills were forwarded to the President. “We told the governor that giving assent to them is well within the powers of the governor and he need not forward them to the President since it would take time.”
The CM had also urged Ravi to accord sanction to prosecute former ministers KC Veeramani and MR Vijayabaskar in corruption cases since the files were pending in Raj Bhavan for 15 months and seven months, respectively. The CM had also sought approval for files relating to the appointment of new members to the TNPSC.
“The CM said Ravi should function as per the Constitution and only when he does so, it would augur well for the welfare of the people and also the state administration. The governor should avoid delay in clearing the bills in the future,” a release said.