Governor meets chief secy, DGP

 Governor meets chief secy, DGP 

08.05.2026

Chennai : Governor R V Arlekar held separate meetings with the state chief secretary, M Sai Kumar, and DGP Sandeep Rai Rathore, amid political developments in the state on Thursday. Sources said Sai Kumar met the governor at Raj Bhavan around 3.30pm, while Rathore met him at 4pm. Each meeting lasted around 20 minutes. Officials said the DGP briefed the governor on the prevailing law and order situation in the state after ECI withdrew the Model Code of Conduct on Thursday. Sources said the governor also discussed security arrangements related to TVK chief Vijay prior to him being called to form the govt. Discussions included the temporary appointment of a security officer for protocol duties and the withdrawal of convoy vehicles earlier assigned to Vijay. Officials did not disclose further detail

Govt. formation: the options and precedents before Governor Arlekar

Govt. formation: the options and precedents before Governor Arlekar

Facing flak: Some of the parties have begun criticising Mr. Arlekar for insisting on the production of letters of support.

T. Ramakrishnan

CHENNAI  08.05.2026

With Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar stating that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has not established the requisite majority support in the State Assembly to form a government, he has many options as precedents to examine.

On Thursday afternoon, Mr. Arlekar’s office made public this position, after two rounds of meetings over the past two days between the Governor and TVK founder C. Joseph Vijay, whose party had secured 108 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. As Mr. Vijay has been elected from two seats – Perambur and Tiruchi (East) – the party’s tally will effectively be 107.

Letters of support

Some of the parties have begun criticising Mr. Arlekar for insisting on the production of letters of support. Twenty years ago, when the DMK bagged only 96 seats in the 234-member Assembly, it formed the government only with the support of its allies, which accounted for 68 seats. The Hindu, on May 12, 2006, stated that “all the allies have submitted letters supporting the DMK to Governor Surjit Singh Barnala”.

In fact, in April 1999, when the Congress tried to form the government at the Centre after the collapse of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime, then President K.R. Narayanan had sought written assurances of support from the partners of a proposed coalition at the time of ministry-making, which he considered to have become a well-established precedent.

His predecessor, S.D. Sharma, who had issued the letter of appointment to Atal Bihari Vajpayee in May 1996 as Prime Minister during their first meeting, changed his approach a few weeks later and insisted on the letters of support when the United Front government, headed by Deve Gowda, was installed.

He “even went to the extent of securing undertakings on matters related to programmes”, stated this paper’s report on April 19, 1999. Narayanan himself observed the practice in March 1998, when Vajpayee formed a coalition with the help of parties such as the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Sharma was severely criticised for his decision to appoint Vajpayee the Prime Minister even before the decision of the Congress to support Mr. Gowda was communicated to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Single-largest party

However, the precedent of inviting the leader of the single-largest party to form the government was created as early as in 1952, when the Congress set up its regime under the leadership of C. Rajagopalachari (CR). In the House of 375 members, the Congress obtained only 152 seats. A surprise inclusion in the CR Cabinet was the Commonweal Party’s leader, M.A. Manickavelu Naicker. By the time the Assembly was constituted in early May, the Congress’s strength rose to 165.

A former official of the Tamil Nadu government, who is well-versed with parliamentary practices and conventions, explains that there is nothing wrong with the Governor seeking letters, but he or she should not carry out a head count. The floor of the House is the best place for any party to demonstrate its strength. At the same time, the Governor cannot be oblivious to the possibility of horse-trading if he or she allows any party, which does not have a majority of its own or with the support of its allies, to form the government.

As regards the constitution of the new House, the former official adds that the practice in Tamil Nadu is for the Public Department to issue a Government Order on the formation of the Assembly, on receipt of documents from the Election Commission of India on the declaration of results, and get it published in the government gazette.

DMK-AIADMK coalition

The Governor can also find out from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president and the outgoing Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, and the AIADMK general secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, whether either of them, individually or jointly, are in a position to form the government. This assumes significance in the wake of reports of an understanding between the two Dravidian majors.

There are at least two precedents at the all-India level in support of this option. In July 1979, then President N. Sanjiva Reddi, after Prime Minister Morarji Desai of the Janata Party, had separate consultations with leaders of various parliamentary parties to make an assessment as to which of them would be in a position to marshal a durable majority for forming an alternative government at the Centre. It was after Y.B. Chavan, then Leader of the Opposition, conveyed to the President his inability to form the government, that an invitation was extended to Charan Singh, the leader of the breakaway Janata group, to form the government. Likewise, in November 1990, then President R. Venkataraman, after being informed by all major parties of their disinclination to form the government subsequent to the fall of the National Front regime headed by V.P. Singh, had asked Chandra Shekhar to form the government.

In case the Governor comes to the conclusion that no government can be formed under the given composition of the Assembly, he can recommend to the Central government the imposition of President’s rule, besides keeping the House in suspended animation, or even dissolution if possible. This was done in Bihar in 2005.

Notwithstanding these precedents, there have been a number of recommendations and judicial opinions on the issue of the Governor’s role in the appointment of Chief Minister in the case of a hung Assembly.

The Commission on Centre-State Relations, in Volume II, states that “the party or combination of parties, which commands the widest support in the Legislative Assembly, should be called upon to form the Government”. Headed by former Chief Justice of India M.M. Punchhi, the panel also goes on to state that “in case no party or pre-poll coalition has a clear majority, the Governor should select the Chief Minister in the order of preference indicated below: a. The group of parties which had pre-poll alliance commanding the largest number; b. The largest single party staking a claim to form the government with the support of others; c. A post-electoral coalition with all partners joining the government. A post-electoral alliance with some parties joining the government and the remaining including independents supporting the government from outside”.

Guv’s nominee walks out; BDU forms new panel

Guv’s nominee walks out; BDU forms new panel 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  22.02.2026

Trichy : More than 10 days after the governor’s syndicate nominee in the panel for scrutiny of registrar, controller of examinations, and director for centre of distance education appointments at Bharathidasan University walked out, the university administration cancelled the panel and ordered the formation of a fresh committee. S Amudha, the governor’s committee had walked out on Feb 9 over the issue of marking certain candidates as ‘non-eligible’. In this backdrop, an official communication from the university sent on Feb 20 to the members concerned stated the existing committee had been cancelled for “administrative reasons” and a fresh committee constituted. The new committee, is scheduled to meet on March 3.

துணைவேந்தா்கள் நியமனம்: தேடல் குழு பதவிக் காலம் நீட்டிப்பு நடவடிக்கையை கைவிட ஆளுநா் அறிவுறுத்தல்

தமிழ்நாடு

துணைவேந்தா்கள் நியமனம்: தேடல் குழு பதவிக் காலம் நீட்டிப்பு நடவடிக்கையை கைவிட ஆளுநா் அறிவுறுத்தல்

தமிழகத்தின் 3 பல்கலைக்கழகங்களின் துணைவேந்தா் நியமனத்துக்கு அமைக்கப்பட்ட தோ்வுக் குழுக்களின் பதவிக் காலத்தை தமிழக அரசு நீட்டிக்கும் நடவடிக்கையை உடனடியாக நிறுத்த ஆளுநா் ஆா்.என்.ரவி அறிவுறுத்தல்

ஆளுநா் ஆா்.என். ரவிகோப்புப் படம்

தினமணி செய்திச் சேவை

Updated on:

03 பிப்ரவரி 2026, 2:43 am

தமிழகத்தின் மூன்று பல்கலைக்கழகங்களின் துணைவேந்தா் நியமனத்துக்கு அமைக்கப்பட்ட தோ்வுக் குழுக்களின் பதவிக் காலத்தை தமிழக அரசு நீட்டித்திருப்பது நீதிமன்ற உத்தரவுகளுக்கு முரணானது; இந்த நடவடிக்கையை உடனடியாக நிறுத்த வேண்டும் என தமிழக அரசை ஆளுநா் ஆா்.என்.ரவி கேட்டுக்கொண்டுள்ளாா்.

இதுகுறித்து ஆளுநா் மாளிகை செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை வெளியிட்ட செய்திக்குறிப்பு: பாரதியாா் பல்கலைக்கழகம், பாரதிதாசன் பல்கலைக்கழகம் மற்றும் பெரியாா் பல்கலைக்கழகம் போன்ற சில தமிழக அரசின் பல்கலைக்கழகங்களுக்கு துணைவேந்தா் நியமனம் செய்வதற்கான பெயரை பரிந்துரைப்பதற்கான தேடல் குழுக்களுக்கு வழங்கப்பட்ட பதவிக் காலம் நீட்டிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது தொடா்பான சட்ட நிலைப்பாட்டை ஆளுநா் மாளிகை பதிவு செய்ய விரும்புகிறது.

தமிழக பல்கலைக்கழக துணைவேந்தா்களை நியமிக்க சட்டபூா்வ விதிகளுக்கு இணங்க, முறையாக அமைக்கப்பட்ட தேடல் குழுக்கள் பரிந்துரைக்கும் மூன்று பெயா்களைக் கொண்ட பட்டியலிருந்து ஒருவரை வேந்தரே (ஆளுநா்) தோ்வு செய்து துணைவேந்தராக நியமிக்கப்பட்டு வந்துள்ளனா்.

இந்நிலையில், பல்கலைக்கழகச் சட்டங்களில் சில திருத்தங்களைச் செய்த தமிழக அரசு, துணைவேந்தா்களை நியமிக்கும் அதிகாரம் அரசுக்கு உள்ளது என திருத்தம் கொண்டு வந்தது. இதை எதிா்த்து உயா்நீதிமன்றத்தில் வழக்கு தொடரப்பட்டு, துணைவேந்தா்களை நியமிக்கும் அதிகாரத்தை வேந்தரிடமிருந்து (ஆளுநா்) பறித்து, அதை அரசிடம் ஒப்படைக்கும் சட்டத் திருத்தத்துக்கு சென்னை உயா்நீதிமன்றம் தடை விதித்துள்ளது.

இந்நிலையில் தமிழக பல்கலைக்கழகங்கள் துணைவேந்தா் பதவிக்கு நியமனம் செய்வதற்கான பெயரைப் பரிந்துரைக்கவும், தேடல் குழுக்களின் பதவிக் காலத்தை நீட்டித்து 21.03.2026 வரை கூடுதல் அவகாசம் அளித்தும் தமிழக அரசு உத்தரவுகளை பிறப்பித்துள்ளது. மேலும், பெரியாா், பாரதிதாசன் பல்கலைக்கழகங்களுக்கு சட்டவிரோதமாக அமைக்கப்பட்ட தேடல் குழுகள், துணைவேந்தரைத் தோ்ந்தெடுப்பதற்காக பட்டியலிடப்பட்ட வேட்பாளா்களுடன் கடந்த 24.01.2026 மற்றும் 27.01.2026 ஆகிய தேதிகளில் கலந்துரையாடல்களையும் நடத்தியுள்ளது.

வழக்குகள் நிலுவையில் உள்ள நிலையில், தேடல் குழுக்களின் பதவிக் காலத்தை நீட்டிக்கும் மாநில அரசின் நடவடிக்கை, நீதிமன்றங்களின் உத்தரவுகளை மீறுவதாகும்.

இதனால் ஆளுநா்-வேந்தரால் பரிந்துரைத்தபடி தேடல் குழுவில் யுஜிசி தலைவரின் வேட்பாளரைச் சோ்க்க உடனடியாக உத்தரவுகளைப் பிறப்பிக்க வேண்டும் அல்லது தற்போது அரசால் அமைக்கப்பட்ட தேடல் குழுக்களின் செயல்பாட்டையும், துணைவேந்தா்களைத் தோ்ந்தெடுத்து நியமிப்பதற்கான அனைத்து நடவடிக்கைகளையும் உடனடியாக நிறுத்தி வைக்க வேண்டும் என தமிழக அரசை வேந்தரான தமிழக ஆளுநா் கேட்டுக் கொண்டுள்ளாா் என அதில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Prez returns Madras varsity bill

Prez returns Madras varsity bill 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 30.12.2025

Chennai : President Droupadi Murmu has returned the bill passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly in 2022 amending the Madras University Act, 1923, to empower the state govt to appoint and remove the vice-chancellor of the University of Madras. This power is now vested with the governor, who is the chancellor of the state university. Sources in the higher education department said the President returned the bill a few days ago.

The Tamil Nadu assembly had passed two bills to amend the laws governing 13 state universities to empower the state govt to appoint vice-chancellors. In view of the delay in giving approval to these bills by the governor, Supreme Court deemed 10 bills as assented to by the governor and empowered the state govt to appoint vicechancellors. However, Madras high court stayed process of appointment of vice-chancellors to state universities. The amendment to Madras University Act, 1923, which empowered the state govt to remove the vice-chancellor, needed assent from the President as the act was passed before Independence.

No V-C since 2003,  Madras univ sans V-C since 2023 The bill said, “The vice-chancellor shall not be removed from his office except by an order of the government passed on the ground of wilful omission or refusal to carry out the provisions of this Act or abuse of the powers vested in him.” It further stated that govt shall order an inquiry by a judge of the high court or an officer not below the rank of chief secretary in a case where it proposed to remove the V-C. It also said the vice-chancellor shall be given an opportunity to make a representation. In the statement of objects and reasons of the bills, then higher education minister 

Ponmudy said that in the Gujarat University Act, 1949, and the Telangana Universities Act, 1991, the respective state govt has the power to appoint vice-chancellors of universities. The University of Madras has been functioning without a V-C since August 2023 due to a tussle between the Governor and state govt on appointing a UGC nominee in the V-C search committees.

All benefits as per statutes for Calicut varsity V-C: Arlekar

All benefits as per statutes for Calicut varsity V-C: Arlekar

The Hindu Bureau

Kozhikode 12.10.2025

The office of Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who is also the Chancellor of State universities, has issued an order clarifying that P. Raveendran, Vice-Chancellor (V-C), University of Calicut, “shall have all the authorities, powers, duties, and responsibilities, conferred on V-Cs, in terms of the acts and statutes of the university.”

This comes in the wake of the explanations sought by the Kerala State Audit department related to the appointment of certain staff in his office and official bungalow and the use of his official quarters in his capacity as Professor, Department of Chemistry. Mr. Raveendran, originally a Professor in the department, was given full charge of the V-C in July 2024 by the then Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. He was not selected to the post by a search-cum-selection committee as mandated by the University Grants Commission. The Audit department’s actions followed a complaint raised by P.P. Sumod, Left Democratic Front MLA, who is a Syndicate member of the university.

Mr. Sumod pointed out in his complaint that Mr. Raveendran, who has been holding the additional responsibilities as V-C, was not entitled to use the official bungalow. He was also not supposed to appoint staff in the office. Mr. Sumod also alleged that Mr. Raveendran was not discharging his duties in the Department of Chemistry.

The Chancellor’s office, however, clarified in the order issued on October 8 that he should not be treated as an “officer in charge” or “in any manner inferior to the regularly appointed V-Cs”. He shall not be obliged to perform his normal duties attached to his original post during the tenure of his appointment, and he has the discretion to decide on the issue. He shall be eligible for a furnished accommodation as admissible to the V-C, notwithstanding the staff accommodation available to him. Mr. Raveendran is also entitled to other benefits such as an official vehicle with a driver, medical allowances, and leave travel allowance, the order said.

The order shall have retrospective effect from the date of notification of his appointment. However, the order also said that he shall not have any claim for continuance or permanency in the post.

துணைவேந்தர்களை மிரட்டுவது அவசரநிலையை காட்டுகிறது:

துணைவேந்தர்களை மிரட்டுவது அவசரநிலையை காட்டுகிறது: 

ஆளுநர் ரவி 

மாநாட்டில் துணை வேந்தர்களை பங்கேற்க விடாமல் தடுத்த விதம், அவசரகால நாட்களை நினைவூட்டுகிறது என்று ஆளுநர் ரவி தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

DIN Published on: 25 ஏப்ரல் 2025, 5:25 pm Updated on: 25 ஏப்ரல் 2025, 5:25 pm 

மாநாட்டில் துணை வேந்தர்களை பங்கேற்க விடாமல் தடுத்த விதம், அவசரகால நாட்களை நினைவூட்டுகிறது என்று ஆளுநர் ரவி தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

இதுகுறித்து அளுநர் மாளிகை வெளியிட்டுள்ள எக்ஸ் தளப் பதிவில், "முதல்வர் ஸ்டாலின் காவல்துறையைப் பயன்படுத்தி, இன்று முன்கூட்டியே திட்டமிடப்பட்டிருந்த மாநாட்டில் மாநில பல்கலைக்கழகங்களின் துணை வேந்தர்களை பங்கேற்க விடாமல் தடுத்த விதம், அவசரகால நாட்களை நினைவூட்டுகிறது. மாநில உயர்கல்வி அமைச்சர், துணை வேந்தர்களிடம் மாநாட்டில் பங்கேற்க வேண்டாம் என்று தொலைபேசியில் மிரட்டல் விடுத்தது பலனளிக்காத நிலையில், முதல்வர் ஸ்டாலின் காவல்துறையைப் பயன்படுத்தியுள்ளார்.

மாநாட்டு நாளில் ஒரு துணைவேந்தர் காவல் நிலையத்துக்கு விசாரணைக்காக அழைத்துச் செல்லப்பட்டுள்ளார். ஊட்டியை அடைந்த மற்றவர்கள் தங்கிய விடுதிகளின் அறை கதவுகள் நள்ளிரவில் தட்டப்பட்டுள்ளன. மாநாட்டில் பங்கேற்றால் உயிருக்கு மோசமான விளைவுகள் நேரிடும் என்றும், மாநாட்டில் கலந்து கொண்டால் வீடு திரும்ப அனுமதிக்கப்பட மாட்டீர்கள் என்றும் காவல்துறையினரால் அச்சுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளனர். இது காவல்துறையின் அப்பட்டமான துஷ்பிரயோகம் ஆகும்!

இங்கு காவல் ராஜ்ஜியமா நடக்கிறது? மாநிலத்துக்குள் ஒரு கல்வி மாநாட்டில் கலந்து கொள்ள துணை வேந்தர்களுக்கு கல்விச் சுதந்திரம் இல்லையா? அல்லது தலித் மற்றும் ஏழை மாணவர்களுக்குப் பெரிதும் உதவும் மாநில பல்கலைக்கழகங்களின் தரத்தை உயர்த்துவதன் விளைவுகள், எந்தவொரு தர மேம்பாடும் மாணவர்களை ஆர்வமுள்ளவர்களாகவும் ஊக்கமளிப்பவர்களாகவும் மாற்றும் என்பதால் இது தனது அரசியல் எதிர்காலத்துக்கு அச்சுறுத்தலாகலாம் என முதல்வர் ஸ்டாலின் அச்சப்படுகிறாரா?" - ஆளுநர் ரவி. இவ்வாறு அதில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

நீலகிரி மாவட்டம் உதகை ஆளுநர் மாளிகையில் பல்கலைக்கழகத் துணைவேந்தா்களின் இரண்டு நாள் மாநாடு வெள்ளிக்கிழமை காலை தொடங்கியது. இந்த மாநாட்டை குடியரசு துணைத் தலைவா் ஜகதீப் தன்கர் தொடங்கிவைத்து உரையாற்றினார்.

VC meet sparks faceoff between Tamil Nadu governor & govt

VC meet sparks faceoff between Tamil Nadu governor & govt

TNN | Apr 26, 2025, 04.26 AM IST

UDHAGAMANDALAM: The faceoff between Tamil Nadu governor R N Ravi and the state govt took a new turn with the former alleging that vice-chancellors of state universities were 'warned' by the govt not to participate in the two-day conference of VCs convened by Raj Bhavan on Friday. The DMK govt hit back at Ravi saying the VCs skipped the conference as it was 'illegal'.

While the VCs of state-run universities were absent, VCs from central universities and deemed-to-be universities participated. "Unfortunately, none of the vice-chancellors of state universities are participating. They have informed me that they have been warned by the state govt," the governor said at the conference, which was inaugurated by VP Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Guv organised conference 'adamantly in violation of law': TN higher edu mantri

Accusing govt of threatening some VCs, Tamil Nadu governor R N Ravi said: "A VC had reached Ooty and something unprecedented happened. There was a midnight knock and a special branch police (officer) was there and he told him that if he (the VC) participated in the conference, he would not be able to go home and meet his family."

Referring to Salem Periyar University VC R Jagannathan, who was summoned on Friday by Suramangalam police for an inquiry pertaining to allegations that he floated a private firm and used university premises to run it, Ravi said: "Another VC is at the police station at the moment."

Ravi said there is no politics involved in organising the conference, claiming that it has been showing results. "But perhaps for people in govt, it is not a comfortable situation."

Hitting back at the governor, TN higher education minister Govi Chezhian said Ravi convened the conference in a deliberate attempt to pick a fight with the state govt since SC gave a ruling in govt's favour empowering it to appoint VCs.

Chezhian said the governor organised the conference "adamantly in violation of the law" even after SC verdict. "The VCs were aware that the conference was illegal and have skipped it. How is the state govt responsible for their absence?"

Chezhian took a dig at the Vice-President as well. "Participation of Dhankhar in the conference is not surprising. The whole country saw his aggressive activities against Mamta Banerjee govt when he was West Bengal governor."

DMK MP P Wilson posted on X: "I condemn these false and irresponsible statements made by the Governor, who is proving to be incorrigible. How can a Governor make such baseless allegations against his own govt?"