Governor RN Ravi Asserts Authority to Remove Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji
Chennai: In a surprising turn of events, Governor RN Ravi has written a 5-page letter to Chief Minister Stalin, stating that he has the authority to remove Minister Senthil Balaji from office. The Governor cited Articles 154, 163, and 164 of the Constitution to support his claim. However, he also mentioned that the order has been put on hold as the Central Attorney General is being consulted for further action.
Yesterday, Governor Ravi ordered the removal of Senthil Balaji from the Tamil Nadu Cabinet. In a detailed 5-page letter addressed to Chief Minister Stalin, Governor Ravi highlighted the Supreme Court’s recent judgment which revealed that Minister Senthil Balaji has pending cases of money laundering and illegal money transfer. The Governor expressed concerns about the Minister’s alleged misuse of authority to protect himself.
Governor Ravi referred to a previous letter dated May 31, in which he advised the Chief Minister to remove Senthil Balaji from the Cabinet due to the pending criminal proceedings against him. However, Chief Minister Stalin responded with a letter containing angry words, displaying a disagreement with the Governor’s suggestion.
The Governor further criticized the Chief Minister’s response, stating that a subsequent letter dated 15th June mentioned Senthil Balaji’s hospitalization but failed to disclose his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14. Governor Ravi expressed his disappointment with the lack of transparency regarding the Minister’s situation.
Despite the Governor’s repeated requests for information, the Chief Minister’s response on June 16 was uncooperative and urged immediate action on the previous letter from June 15. Governor Ravi voiced his disagreement with the Chief Minister’s decision to allow Senthil Balaji to continue as a minister without portfolio, emphasizing the importance of a fair trial.
Governor Ravi accused Chief Minister Stalin of showing bias towards Senthil Balaji and ignoring the Supreme Court’s remarks on his behavior obstructing a fair trial. He expressed concern that the Minister’s continued tenure could interfere with legal proceedings. As a result, Governor Ravi asserted his power, granted by Articles 154, 163, and 164 of the Constitution, to remove Senthil Balaji from his position as Minister.
Following his statement, the Governor later informed the Chief Minister via another letter that the order has been put on hold as the Central Attorney General has been approached for further action regarding the matter.
The Governor’s letter has caused a stir in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with supporters and opponents of Senthil Balaji voicing their opinions. It remains to be seen how Chief Minister Stalin and the Central Attorney General will respond to Governor Ravi’s assertion of authority.