DMK to bat for Constitutional amendment to do away with Governor’s customary address: CM Stalin
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday announced that the DMK will initiate efforts in Parliament to amend the Constitution to do away with the practice of the Governor’s address at the beginning of the legislative year, citing repeated disruptions and constitutional violations by Governors across states.
The announcement came on the first day of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly session, which traditionally begins with the Governor’s address. However, for the third consecutive year, Governor R.N. Ravi walked out of the House without delivering his address, objecting to the session beginning with the Tamil Thaai Vazhthu instead of the National Anthem.
Speaking in the Assembly after the Governor’s exit, Chief Minister Stalin said the Governor had once again violated constitutional norms, legislative rules, and long-standing traditions of the House.
He explained that under Article 176 of the Constitution, the Governor’s address is prepared by the elected State government and must be read in full by the Governor, without personal views, deletions, or alterations.
“There is no constitutional provision that allows the Governor to modify, omit, or refuse to read the address prepared by the government,” Stalin said. He added that although the Constitution does not provide for clarifications, the State government had still responded to a letter sent by the Governor earlier seeking explanations.
Stalin accused the Governor of deliberately violating the Constitution and said the act amounted to disrespecting the dignity of the Assembly, which has a history spanning more than a century.