Two Tamil Nadu Ministers quit on strong court remarks
Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K. Ponmudy and Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Minister V. Senthilbalaji resigned on Sunday (April 27, 2025) night after courts made strong remarks against them.
This is the second time Mr. Senthilbalaji stepped down as a Minister, as the Supreme Court made it clear that he had to make a choice between his ministerial post and freedom. He continued as a Minister without portfolio after his arrest in June 2023 by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, but resigned from the Cabinet on February 12, 2024. He was reinstated after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the case on September 26, 2024.
A Supreme Court Bench took objection to Mr. Senthilbalaji's induction into the Cabinet, and Justices A.S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan on April 23 said that his continuation as a Minister placed him in a position of influence with regard to witnesses, and he could derail the trial.
Justice Oka remarked that the Bench would even record in its order that it had been a 'mistake' to grant him bail and observed that he had been given bail not on the merits of the case but because the court stood up for the fundamental right to personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.
For Mr. Ponmudy, the Madras High Court directed its Registry to take up a suo motu writ petition for a derogatory speech by him against Saivites, Vaishnavites and women in general. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh issued the direction after observing that the Minister had prima facie misused the liberty granted to him by the Supreme Court which had stayed his conviction as well as sentence in a corruption case.
Following this, the first Bench of the Madras High Court granted time till June 5 for the Tamil Nadu government as well as Mr. Ponmudy, in his individual capacity, to respond to a public interest litigation petition filed by an advocate to disqualify the Minister from holding any constitutional post due to his recent derogatory speech.
A Raj Bhavan release said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has recommended Governor R.N. Ravi to accept their resignation. The Chief Minister also recommended the induction of former Minister Mano Thangaraj into the Cabinet. The swearing-in will be held on April 28.
The Hindu's Editorials
The Hindu's Daily Quiz
Rana Sangha was the king of which Rajput clan?
Bhati
Mewar
Kachwaha
Rathore
To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rules committee's nod to independent secretariat, fin autonomy for assembly
New Delhi: The Rules Committee, led by speaker Vijender Gupta, has approved a proposal to establish an independent secretariat and grant financial autonomy to the Delhi Assembly. According to sources, the committee is expected to submit its report during the upcoming monsoon session of the assembly for tabling in the house. Officials said the move aims to strengthen the institutional framework of the Delhi Assembly in line with the constitutional principle of separation of powers. Since its reconstitution in 1993, Delhi Assembly has functioned without a dedicated secretarial cadre or financial independence. Unlike Parliament and state legislatures—where the speaker holds authority over appointments and administration—Delhi's legislature depends on officers deputed from various government departments. This reliance, officials argue, has led to operational inefficiencies and curtailed the assembly's functional autonomy. "To address these concerns, the speaker proposed the creation of a separate legislative secretariat and the granting of financial autonomy during a recent meeting of the Rules Committee. This proposal aligns with Articles 98 and 187 of the Constitution, which provide for such arrangements in Parliament and state legislatures respectively," said an official. A senior assembly official noted that the 82nd All India Presiding Officers' Conference, held in Dec 2021 under the chairmanship of the Lok Sabha Speaker, adopted a resolution that all legislatures should get financial autonomy enjoyed by both the houses of Parliament. This resolution was later shared with the Delhi chief secretary, along with a request for prompt action in consultation with the Vidhan Sabha. Among the three Union Territories with elected assemblies — Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir — Delhi is the only one constituted as a constitutional body, with a specific provision for an independent secretariat. "In view of Article 239AA(b) of the Constitution, which empowers Parliament to regulate matters concerning the Delhi Legislative Assembly, the Rules Committee may recommend an amendment to the GNCTD Act, 1991. This would facilitate the establishment of a separate secretariat and financial autonomy, bringing the Delhi Assembly on par with state legislatures," said an official.
The Print
2 hours ago
- The Print
CJI Gavai emphasises transformative power of technology in enhancing access to justice
'The path forward demands adherence to fundamental principles. Technology must enhance rather than replace judicial functions, particularly reasoned decision-making and individual case assessment. We must ensure that automated systems support rather than supplant judicial judgment,' the CJI said. Speaking at the international symposium on 'The Role of Technology to Improve Access to Justice' at the University of Cambridge, CJI Gavai, however, said that technology must enhance the judicial functions and cannot be allowed to replace the decision making process. New Delhi, Jun 9 (PTI) Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on Monday emphasised the transformative power of technology in enhancing access to justice in a vast, diverse, and complex country like India. 'No revolution in the justice delivery mechanism can come without policy interventions. The governance frameworks that ensure human oversight, algorithmic transparency, and accountability for technology-mediated decisions should be developed,' he said. The CJI laid out a comprehensive vision for a more inclusive and responsive legal system, underpinned by digital innovation. 'Access to justice represents the backbone of any fair and equitable legal system. It ensures that all individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic status, geographic location, or personal circumstances, can effectively participate in and benefit from legal processes,' he said. He said in a country where more than two-thirds of the population lives in rural areas and over 121 languages are spoken as mother tongues, ensuring equitable access to the courts is both a constitutional obligation and a moral imperative. He highlighted the foresight of Constitution makers, who enshrined mechanisms to guarantee access to justice, including Articles 32 and 226, which empower citizens to directly approach the Supreme Court and high courts for the protection of their rights. 'Recognizing access to justice as the cornerstone of any democracy, the framers of the Indian Constitution, with foresight, understood that without meaningful access to legal recourse, the rights enshrined within the Constitution would remain mere hollow promises for millions of citizens,' he said. 'Technology has become the bridge between the constitutional promise of justice and the lived experience of citizens,' he said. The CJI referred to several key initiatives that have digitally transformed the Indian judiciary and said now video conferencing has become a permanent fixture in courts and enables lawyers from remote areas to argue cases before the Supreme Court without costly and time-consuming travel. Barriers to access to justice are now being diluted with the help of technology, he said. 'Video conferencing technology has made the most impact on accessibility to the court. A lawyer practising in rural Bihar or rural Maharashtra can now appear before the Supreme Court without the expense and time of travelling to Delhi. 'It has democratized access to the country's highest court, ensuring that geographical location no longer determines the quality of legal representation available to citizens. Vulnerable witnesses, particularly children, can now testify without being physically present in intimidating courtroom environments,' he said. The CJI said with the use of technology, citizens can now track case status, download court orders, and view hearing schedules through the Case Information System, eliminating the need for physical presence. He also referred to the SUVAS (Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software) and said that this AI-powered translation tool converts legal documents into nine regional languages, empowering non-English speakers with access to critical information. Justice Gavai lauded the efforts of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), which leverages technology to extend its services to the most vulnerable. 'These innovations are not just conveniences; they are lifelines for those who would otherwise be left outside the judicial system,' the CJI noted. He hailed the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) as a game-changer in judicial transparency and performance monitoring. As of early 2025, the NJDG tracks more than 23 crore cases and 22 crore orders from over 18,000 courts, enabling data-backed policymaking and identifying procedural bottlenecks, he said. The CJI, however, cautioned that technology must not become a new barrier to justice as 'the digital divide is real'. Without equitable access to internet connectivity, devices, and digital literacy, marginalized communities risk further exclusion, he said. 'As we readily integrate technology in our quest to make justice more accessible, we must also acknowledge that technology can act as a double-edged sword, which may also lead to unparalleled divides. 'A primary concern is the digital divide, where unequal access to internet connectivity, devices, and digital literacy can lead to the exclusion of marginalized communities who already face barriers to justice. For technology to truly serve justice, accessibility and inclusion must be foundational to its design,' he added. PTI SJK KVK KVK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
No urgency, will hear TN plea on school funds in due course: SC
Supreme Court(File photo) NEW DELHI: SC on Monday turned down Tamil Nadu govt's plea for urgent listing of its suit against the Centre for the release of over Rs 2,291 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme (SSS). Appearing before a bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Manmohan, senior advocate P Wilson pleaded that there was urgency in the case and the state should be granting hearing during the vacation. The bench, however, said that there was no urgency and the suit could be listed for hearing in due course. The state sought early hearing alleging that lack of funds was depriving the Right to Education to nearly 48 lakh students and the new academic year had already started on June 3. Tamil Nadu govt filed the original suit under Article 131 of the Constitution, alleging that Union govt was withholding funds under SSS over the non-implementation of the National Education Policy 2020.
