Tamil Nadu Governor dismisses Senthil Balaji from Council of Ministers

In a major political development, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Thursday (June 29) dismissed jailed V Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect. While details are yet to emerge, the constitutionality of the move may raise questions, since the Governor takes such decisions only on the basis of the Chief Minister’s recommendation.

Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan issued a release, stating, “Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption including taking cash for jobs and money laundering…Under these circumstances, Governor has dismissed him from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect.”

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The release also said, “Abusing his position as a Minister, he has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice. Currently he is in judicial custody in a criminal case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. Some more criminal cases against him under Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code are being investigated by the state police. There are reasonable apprehensions that continuation of V Senthil Balaji in the Council of Minister will adversely impact the due process of law including fair investigation that may eventually lead to breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the state.”

The Governor had earlier refused to allow Senthil Balaji to continue as minister without a portfolio. But Chief Minister MK Stalin, through an administrative order, made him continue as a minister.

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Reacting to the development, Chief Minister MK Stalin said Governor Ravi has no authority to dismiss a minister from the Cabinet. The government will face the issue legally, he told reporters.

Earlier, a Chennai court on Wednesday (June 28) extended the judicial custody of Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji, who was arrested in a money laundering case, till July 12.

On June 14, Senthil Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Later, he was admitted to Omandurar government hospital here after he complained of uneasiness and chest pain during investigation.