'More insidious than sacking Senthil…': CM vs Guv in Tamil Nadu | 10 points
Why RN Ravi would seek Attorney General's opinion and not Advocate General's is more insidious that sacking Senthil, Manish Tewari said.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi decision to dismiss minister Senthil Balaji from the cabinet and the withdrawal of it within five hours has snowballed into a full-blown Governor versus government war with Stalin on Friday dressing down the Governor in his strict reply. "I reiterate that you have no power to dismiss my Ministers. That is the sole prerogative of an elected Chief Minister. Your unconstitutional communication dismissing my Minister without my advice is void ab initio and non-est in law and hence has been disregarded," Stalin wrote.
Congress leader and advocate Manish Tewari who demanded the dismissal of RN Ravi by the President for his 'unconstitutional' action on Saturday said the letter that he wrote explaining why he put the decision of dismissing Senthil on hold was 'more insidious' than the illegal sacking of the minister. As the Governor wrote he would seek the opinion of the Attorney General, Manish Tewari asked why Attorney General and not the Advocate General. Attorney General is the highest law officer in the country and an Advocate General is the highest law officer of the state.
"Article 165 of COI confers Constitutional status on Advocate General akin to Attorney General -Article 76. Why not take legal Advise from Advocate General? Governors cause Constitutional breakdowns," Manish Tewari said.
Stalin vs RN Ravi: Here is what happened
1. On Friday, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi sacked minister Senthil Bajaj on charges of corruption. Five hours later, the order was put on hold.
2. "I have been advised by the Hon'ble Union Minister of Home Affairs that it would be prudent to seek the opinion of the Attorney General also," RN Ravi wrote a letter to Stalin.
3. Stalin on Friday held a meeting with state law minister, Tamil Nadu Advocate General R Shunmagasundhram.
4. In the meeting, it was decided that all options will be weighed and the issue will be faced legally and the Governor acted in haste and did not consult the chief minister before ordering the dismissal of Senthil Balaji.
5. It was also decided that Stalin would write a detailed letter to the Governor.
6. In the letter, Stalin made it clear that the government disregarded the Governor's decision.
7. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai issued a statement that the state BJP will reserve its comments on the dismissal of Senthil Balaji. But it would remind Stalin that as an opposition leader, Stalin in 2018 wanted teh Governor to sack a minister.
8. The government made it clear that Senthil Balaji will continue as a minister without portfolio. He was the energy minister.
9. Senthil Balaji was arrested by the ED in early June for the cash-for-job scam.
10. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan supported RN Ravi's actions and said nobody could imagine that a person will continue as a minister after some charge has been made against him.
