Governor’s post: T’ Nadu plea for abolition

Madras, July 9: The Tamil Nadu Government has told the Centre that “the time is ripe for doing away with the office of the Governor”. In its comments on the report of the Administrative Reforms Commission on Centre-State relations, the State Government pointed out that the office of the Governor was a legacy of the British colonial system and the method of appointment of the Governor as provided in the Constitution was “an anachronism is a democratic set-up”. According to the Tamil Nadu Government, the Governor is a functionary appointed by, and responsible to the Central Government and as such, he could not be expected to understand the local conditions and the political situation. The expenditure incurred on the office of the Governor does not seem to square with the socialistic pattern of society, is a wasteful one and could well be dispensed with. On the question of an alternative arrangement, the State Government commended the system in West Germany where the State Government functioned with the Minister President as the Head of the Government with a Cabinet. It suggested that the Chief Minister could discharge the functions now attended to by the Governor. Where the office of the Chief Minister fell vacant by death, resignation, etc., the Chief Justice of the State might be in charge of the administration till such time as a new Chief Minister assumed office. If, however, the office of the Governor is to be retained, the Government felt, he should be rendered ineligible for a second term of office as Governor or any other office under the Government.