The president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC), K Selvaperunthagai, launched a sharp critique on Monday against the central government after a crucial state bill concerning the appointment of vice-chancellors was returned by the President of India. Selvaperunthagai asserted that this move strikes at the heart of India's federal principles and disregards clear directives from the Supreme Court.
A Bill Pending for Nearly Three Years
In a detailed statement, the TNCC chief outlined the timeline of the contentious legislation. He reminded that the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly passed amendments in April 2022 designed to transfer the powers of appointing vice-chancellors and members of search committees from the state's Governor to the elected state government. This bill, aimed at aligning the process with the state's authority over its own universities, was then sent for the President's assent.
However, the bill remained in limbo at the President's office for nearly three years before it was finally returned recently without granting assent. Selvaperunthagai highlighted this prolonged delay as a key point of contention.
Contradicting Supreme Court Mandates on Governor's Role
Selvaperunthagai anchored his criticism firmly in recent judicial pronouncements. He pointed out that the Supreme Court has explicitly fixed timelines for granting assent to bills and has ruled that Governors cannot indefinitely delay decisions on legislation passed by state assemblies.
Furthermore, he emphasized the apex court's position that Governors do not possess independent executive authority in matters where duly elected state governments are constitutionally empowered to exercise power. By returning the bill, which sought to formalize this very principle for university appointments, the central authority has effectively weakened the federal structure, the Congress leader argued.
Allegation of Political Bias and Call to Action
The TNCC president did not mince words, alleging that the decision to return the bill was taken on the advice of the Union Cabinet and stands in opposition to earlier Supreme Court judgments. To underscore apparent inconsistency, he drew a comparison with other states.
"In Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and in Telangana, the state governments appoint vice-chancellors," Selvaperunthagai stated. He then posed a pointed question: why are similar powers being denied to Tamil Nadu, especially when the universities in question are funded by the state exchequer?
He condemned the idea of vesting appointment powers with the Governor instead of the elected state government as a move against constitutional principles. Concluding his statement, Selvaperunthagai made a dual appeal. He urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin to thoroughly examine the issue and consider pursuing further legal action. He also called upon all political parties that are genuinely concerned with Tamil Nadu's interests to rally behind the state government in its next steps to safeguard its constitutional rights.
