Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi unilaterally dismissed minister Senthil Balaji arrested by the ED on PMLA charges from the council of ministers with ‘immediate effect’ without taking Chief Minister Stalin into confidence. Later on the Centre advised Ravi (or so we are given to understand) to seek the AG’s opinion in this matter and the order was kept in abeyance. The startling sacking of a minister by a governor sans advice from the CM of an elected government is unprecedented in Indian political history.
The Supreme Court in it’s past judgements has unequivocally enunciated that the governor can not act on administrative matters relating to the State without the aid and advice of the council of ministers headed by the CM. It is very obvious that Governors especially in non BJP ruled states are merely acting as agents of the Central government to facilitate it’s rule by proxy (Delhi is another example). Upright individuals like Satya Pal Malik who don’t bow down to the Centre’s diktats are shunted around and finally put to pasture. This policy of ‘shoot first and ask questions later’ puts democracy or whatever is left of it in grave peril.
