No place for personal opinions of Governor during address to Assembly, asserts TN govt

The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday sought to categorically make it clear the Governor should only read out from the document prepared by the state government to be delivered as his customary address to the Assembly and that it had no place for their personal opinions or objections.

According to Article 176 of the Constitution, the Governors address, made during the opening day of the first session of the year, is one that “highlights the state governments policies, schemes and achievements,” it said.

The governments clarification came in a statement in response to a section of media over the Monday episode where state Governor R N Ravi skipped certain portions in his address to the legislature, and made some other remarks, following which Chief Minister M K Stalin piloted a resolution against the deviations.

“The tradition is that the Governor should read out the address prepared by the (state) government as per the Constitution. In this address, there is no place for the Governors personal opinions or objections. Moreover, this is not his personal address but that of the government,” it said.

Many governors in the past had conformed to this practice, it said.

The draft address was sent to the Raj Bhavan in the morning of January 6 and was sent again the same day later following some corrections. The Governors office suggested certain changes following which another draft was sent to his office late by the next day, the statement read.

On January 8, it was returned to the government with the Governors approval, it added.

There was no truth in certain claims that the Governor was asked to skip a few sections that he wanted to be removed, citing the draft had gone for printing, the government insisted.

“Nothing of that sort happened. The file on governors approval (for the draft address) was received at 11.30 am on January 8. But it was sent for printing by 12.30 am on January 9,” it added.

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