Speaker Appavu: Only 234 Elected Members Have the Right to Speak in Tamil Nadu Assembly
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Chennai, Jan 6 (NationPress) The Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, M. Appavu, declared on Monday that only the 234 elected legislators possess the authority to voice their opinions within the assembly.
The total number of seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly is 234.
This assertion followed an incident where Governor R.N. Ravi exited the assembly without delivering the speech that had been prepared by the state government.
In his remarks on Monday, the Speaker highlighted that it is the constitutional obligation of the Governor to present the text crafted by the state government under Article 176 of the Constitution.
He reminded the Raj Bhavan that this custom, which has been upheld since the era of the Madras Presidency, is fundamental to the operations of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
Speaker Appavu pointed out that the Governor’s address is prepared by the elected government and its cabinet, and it is customary for the Governor to present this address during the year’s first session as part of his constitutional responsibilities.
He questioned the Governor’s ongoing disregard for this tradition and asked if the Constitution mandates the Assembly to follow a specific timetable based on the Governor’s choices.
“This Governor has done it three times. If he remains in office, we will still extend a respectful invitation to him. It is ultimately his decision whether to recite the text,” the Speaker stated.
He reaffirmed that the Assembly will persist in this manner of operation, irrespective of which party is in power.
The Speaker’s comments came after Governor Ravi departed from the Assembly session immediately after it began, in protest of the assembly’s choice not to sing the National Anthem, and reminded the assembly of its constitutional duty to do so.
He called upon Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to ensure compliance with this protocol. However, only the 'Thamizh Thai Vazhthu' (the Tamil Nadu state song) was performed at the session's opening.
In a statement, the Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan accused the assembly of disrespecting the Constitution and the National Anthem. “Upholding the National Anthem is one of the primary fundamental duties outlined in our Constitution,” it remarked.
The statement further indicated that the National Anthem is typically sung or played in Parliament at the start and conclusion of the President's address and in state assemblies during the Governor's address. The Raj Bhavan noted that during Monday’s session, only the 'Thamizh Thai Vazhthu' was sung upon the Governor's arrival, which deviated from the established protocol.
