Accusing Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi of violating the tenets of the Constitution, MDMK general secretary Vaiko on Saturday urged the Centre to recall the Governor as he was creating a political crisis in Tamil Nadu.
In a statement, he rejected the claim of Mr. Ravi that a Governor had powers to dismiss Ministers of a State Cabinet. “A Governor cannot appoint or remove a Minister without the Chief Minister’s recommendation. The Constitution has not conferred unlimited powers on the Governor.”
He had recently launched a signature campaign to recall Mr. Ravi. “We will collect over one crore signatures and submit them to the President,” he said.
He said that though Article 154 of the Constitution vested executive powers with the Governor, Section 2 of the Article did not prevent Parliament or the Legislature of a State from conferring bylaw functions on any authority subordinate to the Governor.
Recalling section 164 that “the Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister, and the Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor,” Mr. Vaiko said the Constitution was clear that the pleasure of the Governor was nothing but the pleasure of the Chief Minister.
