1. Consulting legal experts for remedy on Governor withholding assent for Bills: CM Stalin
After inspecting desilting works at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin who addressed journalists at Tiruchi, said the State government was consulting legal experts on moving courts for remedy against the Governor Ravi withholding assent for several Bills.
He made the statement in response to a query if his government would follow the footsteps of the Telangana government, which had moved the Supreme Court against the delay in clearing Bills passed in the State Legislature by Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan. Passing orders on the petition, the Supreme Court, in April, had held that Governors should return “as soon as possible” Bills which they want to be reconsidered.
Further, Mr. Stalin asserted that Tamil Nadu would remain firm in its opposition to Karnataka’s move to build a dam across the Cauvery at Mekedatu.
2. School reopening | 1,500 special buses to operate during weekend
The Tamil Nadu transport department has announced special buses during this weekend starting today, in view of the reopening of schools across the state on June 12.
In a statement, the department has announced that a total of 1,500 special buses are to be operated for the next three days — June 9, 10 and 11, as a measure to handle the rush of passengers who would be returning home. It includes 650 buses from various cities to Chennai and 850 buses to Bengaluru.
3. Ex-AIADMK leader Maitreyan rejoins BJP
Expelled AIADMK leader and three-time Rajya Sabha member V. Maitreyan rejoined the BJP after two decades, at New Delhi, in the presence of party general secretaries C.T. Ravi (in charge of Tamil Nadu) and Arun Singh.
Mr. Maitreyan had been with the BJP before joining the AIADMK in 2000. While in the AIADMK, he was considered close to late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. After Jayalalithaa’s demise, he fell foul of the new leadership in the party and shared uneasy equations with former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who expelled him for “anti-party activities” last year.
4. Commanding Officer of India’s first submarine laid to rest at Coimbatore
The mortal remains of the Commanding Officer of India’s first submarine — INS Kalvari, Commodore K.S. Subra-Manian (94), were laid to rest at Coimbatore. He passed away on June 5.
On December 8, 1967, Commodore K.S. Subra-Manian, then a Commander, read out the commissioning warrant of INS Kalvari at Riga in Latvia in the erstwhile U.S.S.R.
5. SC seeks detailed report on basic facilities for women lawyers in Nilgiris court
The Supreme Court urgently intervened to direct the Registrar General of Madras High Court to file a detailed report on the basic facilities, including washrooms, available for women lawyers at Nilgiris court complex.
The issue was raised in the Supreme Court by the Nilgiris Women Lawyers Association through a petition.
The dearth of facilities for women lawyers also grabbed national attention when the National Commission for Women wrote to the Madras High Court, saying the state of affairs not only showed neglect but amounted to a violation of human rights.
6. EPS slams proposed hike in electricity tariff for commercial consumers
A day after the Tamil Nadu government dismissed reports on hike in electricity tariff for domestic consumers but stated that the tariff would be increased for commercial establishments, the Leader of Opposition and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami slammed the DMK government for its decision for increasing the charges for industrial units for the second time in a year.
In his statement, Mr. Palaniswami criticised the State government for citing the Central government’s policy (of November 2021) and the instruction in December 2022 in support of its decision. Pointing out that the ruling DMK had not yet fulfilled the electoral promise of reverting to the monthly billing cycle for domestic electricity consumers, he recalled that AIADMK regime did not increase the power tariff for eight years.
Meanwhile, the deposed AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam urged the government to roll back the hike as a measure of protecting the interests of commercial establishments and industrial units.
