CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has decided to keep the dismissal order of the jailed DMK leader and state minister V Senthil Balaji in abeyance for the time being, sources said.
“Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi keeps the dismissal order of Minister V Senthil Balaji in abeyance. He will take the advice of the Attorney General on this matter”, the sources said.
Earlier, the Governor had dismissed Balaji from the Council of Ministers, days after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had said the state government will challenge the governor’s decision legally. Speaking to reporters, Stalin said, “The governor doesn’t have the right (to dismiss a sitting minister) and we will face this legally”.
In an official release, Raj Bhavan had said, “Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of corruption cases including taking cash for jobs and money laundering…Under these circumstances, Governor has dismissed him from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect”.
Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14 in a cash-for-jobs scam. He was later admitted to a government hospital in Chennai after he complained of chest pain. On June 15, he was allowed by the Madras High Court to be shifted to a private hospital of his choice.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy on Thursday said that by dismissing DMK leader Senthil Balaji from the state Council of Ministers, Governor R N Ravi had taken the right decision morally.
Former Union minister and Congress leader Manish Tewari, too, slammed the dismissal of the jailed minister, tweeting, “Article 164 of COI” The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister… Since Ministers are appointed on the advice of the CM they can be removed ONLY on the advice of CM Unconstitutional Gov”. (ANI)