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The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Tamil Nadu moves Supreme Court against Madras High Court's stay on Vice-Chancellor appointment laws
The Tamil Nadu government, in a late night move, approached the Supreme Court on Tuesday (June 3, 2025) against a Madras High Court stay of nine Acts related to the appointments of Vice-Chancellors in State-run universities. The High Court had ordered a stay despite the Supreme Court, in an April 8, 2025 judgment, having invoked its inherent powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to deem that the Bills were assented to by the State Governor R.N. Ravi. Tamil Nadu Governor case: Click here to read the full judgement of the Supreme Court Following the verdict, the State government had notified the Acts. However a petition was filed in the High Court challenging The Tamil Nadu University Amendment Act; The Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Amendment) Act; The Tamil Nadu Universities Laws (Amendment) Act, 2022; The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University (Amendment) Act, 2022; The Tamil Nadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University, Chennai (Amendment) Act, 2022; The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (Amendment) Act, 2022; The Tamil Nadu Fisheries University (Amendment) Act, 2023; The Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Amendment) Act, 2023 The High Court's Vacation Bench stayed the amendments in an order on May 21, 2025 on the ground that UGC Regulations 2018 would prevail over the State legislation by virtue of the doctrine of repugnancy. Challenging the stay, the State, represented by senior advocate P. Wilson, argued there is a strong presumption of constitutionality against laws passed by the legislature. Editorial | Misplaced urgency: On the Madras High Court interim order 'Courts should be slow in passing interim orders in matters challenging constitutionality of provisions and against the strong presumption of constitutionality. The High Court passed an interim order directing stay of operation of provisions which take away power of appointment of Vice Chancellor from the hands of the Chancellor and vest the same in the government,' the petition said. Pertinently, the State argued that the writ petition was filed in the High Court during vacations, without pleading any urgency in the matter. 'The Vacation Division Bench of the High Court entertained the writ petition from a lawyer belonging to a political party…. The Division Bench passed the order without granting reasonable opportunity to the State to defend its case by filing a counter affidavit. The matter was heard during vacations till 6.30 pm, beyond court hours, and the Impugned order was passed,' the State contended. The State said its appeal has raised questions of law with wide ramifications pertaining to the issue of federalism and State autonomy to establish, regulate and administer State Universities under Entry 32 List II of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution along with the issues pertaining to judicial impropriety and discipline in keeping a hands-off approach.
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Actor, poet, and legal luminary are among those set to represent T.N. in Rajya Sabha
An actor-turned politician, a legal luminary, a littérateur, and a senior party functionary are set to represent Tamil Nadu in the Rajya Sabha, as DMK and its ally Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) announced their candidates on Wednesday for the biennial elections. Actor Kamal Haasan, a recipient of the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan, and the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier), among others, would need no introduction in the Upper House. The founder of MNM, an ally in the DMK-led alliance, is conversant in multiple south Indian languages. Rajya Sabha MP and former Advocate-General P. Wilson is among the prominent legal luminaries from the State. His role in getting a historic judgment for the Tamil Nadu government in The State of Tamil Nadu Vs. The Governor of Tamil Nadu case was the latest feather in his cap and underlined his legal prowess. During his previous tenure in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Wilson was among those who moved several private Bills. Announcing her entry into the world of books with her debut Irandam Jaamankalin Kathai in 2004, A. Rokkaiah Malik alias Kavignar Salma has been challenging orthodoxy around gender and sexuality through her writings. A senior functionary in the DMK's women wing, Ms. Salma will be another Tamil voice in the Rajya Sabha hailing from Tiruchi region after her party colleague and MP Tiruchi Siva. DMK's Salem East district secretary S.R. Sivalingam is among the three district secretaries in Salem district, the native district of AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami. The other two district secretaries of Salem — T.M. Selvaganapathy and R. Rajendran — are Lok Sabha MP and State Minister respectively.
The Print
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Kamal Haasan set to enter Rajya Sabha with DMK's backing, party also names its own 3 candidates
Similarly, the terms of AIADMK member N. Chandrasegharan and Anbumani Ramadoss of the PMK, a former AIADMK ally, will also end around the same time. The Rajya Sabha terms of three DMK members—P. Wilson, M.M. Abdulla, and M. Shanmugam—as well as that of DMK ally and MDMK leader Vaiko, are set to end by July this year. Chennai: The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has nominated three party members for the Rajya Sabha, and allocated one seat to actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM). With this support from the DMK, Kamal Haasan is set to enter the Rajya Sabha for the first time. Of the three incumbent Rajya Sabha members, only advocate P. Wilson, who is the legal face of DMK, was given a seat for the second time. Apart from Wilson, DMK has named the party's long time functionaries poet Salma and S.R. Sivalingam as nominees for the Rajya Sabha seat. Both are being nominated to Rajya Sabha for the first time. DMK's spokesperson and former Rajya Sabha MP T.K.S. Elangovan said that the seat allocated to MNM was in line with the agreement with Haasan at the time of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 'Kamal's MNM has been in the DMK alliance since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, no seat was allocated to them during the Lok Sabha election. Still, he campaigned for DMK candidates across the state. Now he is being given the Rajya Sabha seat,' Elangovan said. A senior DMK leader told ThePrint that the seats were allocated, keeping the representation of communities in mind. 'While M.M. Abdulla, a Muslim by birth, was not given a second chance, poet Salma, who is also a Muslim, is being nominated to compensate for it. Similarly, Wilson, who is a DMK's go to man for legal fight against the Union government and Governor, belongs to Christian minority community. By this, we have given representation to Christians, Muslims, and women as well,' a senior DMK leader told ThePrint. On 26 May, the Election Commission of India announced that biennial elections for six Rajya Sabha seats will be held on 19 June, with counting scheduled for the same evening. The official notification will be issued on 2 June, and the last date for filing nominations is 9 June. Also read: Once a sewage dump, Chennai's Buckingham Canal is now home to thriving mangrove cluster The 3 nominees from DMK Salma: Poet Salma alias Rokaiya Malik is from a Muslim family and served as the president of Ponnampatti Panchayat in Trichy district. She unsuccessfully contested the 2006 election from Marungapuri constituency on behalf of DMK. She has also served as the Chairman of Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board. Salma, renowned for her poetry and contributions to Tamil literature, has had her works translated into several languages worldwide, including Armenian. She is also a longtime member of the DMK. P. Wilson: The incumbent MP has been the member of Rajya Sabha since 2019 and served as the Additional Solicitor General of India and Additional Advocate General of Tamil Nadu. A senior advocate, Wilson has served as the Additional Solicitor General of India and the Additional Advocate General of Tamil Nadu. He notably successfully led a legal battle to establish the memorial of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at Marina beach. S.R. Sivalingam: A longtime grassroots DMK worker from Salem district, he currently serves as the party's Salem East district secretary and was elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in 1989 and 1996. (Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri) Also Read: How a father-son feud threatens to split PMK before 2026 Tamil Nadu elections
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Tamil Nadu sues Centre in Supreme Court over non-disbursal of ₹2,000-crore education funds
The State of Tamil Nadu has filed an original suit in the Supreme Court accusing the Centre of stopping its annual share of crucial education funds to the tune of over ₹2000-crore under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme. The suit, represented by senior advocate P. Wilson and drafted by advocates Richardson Wilson and Apoorv Malhotra, said the 'glaring and apparent reason' for the non-disbursement of Samagra Shiksha Scheme funds was the State's vociferous opposition to the imposition of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 with its three-language formula and the NEP-exemplary PM Shri Schools' Scheme. The PM SHRI Schools Scheme mandates the implementation of the NEP-2020 in its entirety in the State. Also read: PM SHRI, NEP 2020 and Tamil Nadu: Politics looms over an education dispute The suit, filed through Tamil Nadu State counsel Sabarish Subramanian, submitted the Samagra Shiksha Scheme was not connected to the NEP-2020 and PM Shri Schools' Scheme in any way. 'The Union Government by withholding the State's entitlement to receive funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme is in ignorance of the doctrine of cooperative federalism. The halt of education funds amounts to the usurpation of the constitutional power of the State to legislate under Entry 25, List III (education). The Union Government seeks to coerce the State to implement the NEP-2020 throughout the State in its entirety and to deviate from the education regime followed in the State,' the suit argued. The Centre's unilateral refusal to provide education funds amounted to a 'blatant diktat' for the implementation of NEP-2020 and the linkage of the Samagra Shiksha Scheme with the PM SHRI Schools scheme. Also read: Over 90% in Hindi-belt States speak only one language, rest of India is more bilingual: Data The non-disbursement of ₹2151,59,61,000 towards its obligatory 60% contribution share under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme to Tamil Nadu for 2025-2026 as approved by the Project Approval Board has gravely hit the Samagra Shiksha Scheme and the implementation of the RTE Act, 2009. The lack of funds had affected 43,94,906 students, 2,21,817 teachers and 32,701 staff members in the State. The Board had allocated a total of ₹3585.99 crore as the total outlay for expenditure under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme. The State sought a judicial declaration that NEP-2020 and PM SHRI Schools' Scheme was not binding on Tamil Nadu. It urged the court to declare the linkage of the State's entitlement to receive Central share of education funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme with the total implementation of the NEP-2020 PM SHRI Schools 'unconstitutional, illegal, arbitrary and unreasonable'. The suit wanted the Centre to pay up ₹2291 crore to the State within a specified time fixed by the apex court along with 6% interest per annum on the principal sum from May 1, 2025 till the date of realisation of the decree. Tamil Nadu said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had written to the Prime Minister objecting to the linking of the Samagra Shiksha Scheme with the full implementation of NEP-2020 and PM SHRI Schools Scheme, and sought his intervention for the release of the education funds. Mr. Stalin had conveyed that the linkage was 'fundamentally unacceptable' and amounted to a pressure tactic to coerce the State to accept the Centrally-mandated programmes against its own time-tested State policies in a blatant violation of cooperative federalism. The Union government had rejected the CM's concerns, the suit said. The State said it had consistently opposed the three-language formula under the NEP. In fact, the State legislative Assembly had passed a resolution in January 1968 had rejected the Official Languages (Amendment) Act, 1967, as well as the corresponding resolution passed by the Parliament. 'This State Resolution called for the scrapping of the three-language formula and mandated that only Tamil and English be taught in schools across Tamil Nadu, with Hindi being excluded from the curriculum. Consequently, the State has been exempted from implementing the Official Languages Act, 1963, as provided under the Official Languages Rules, 1976. Also read: How the two-language policy officially came into force in the State of Madras The State contended that Clause 4.13 of the NEP-2020 recommended the three-language formula in all States 'under the guise of multilingualism'. 'The State has enacted legislation that duly conforms with the two-language policy envisioned by it. The third language is left to the option of the students who do not have Tamil or English as their mother tongue. Section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Tamil Learning Act, 2006 mandates the teaching of Tamil language as a compulsory subject from Classes one to 10 in all schools in a phased manner… The Union government cannot compel the State to implement its own policy under the guise of providing financial support,' Tamil Nadu underscored.
