No Governor can act against the Constitution, which has provided certain powers exclusively to the incumbent of the post, said O. Panneerselvam, AIADMK coordinator and Deputy Leader of Opposition, in the Assembly.
Talking to journalists outside the House on Monday, Mr. Panneerselvam said those who held the post of Governors had to function within the limits of the Constitution. He was answering questions of the mediapersons regarding the legislation adopted by the State government, making the government the appointing authority for Vice-Chancellors of State Universities.
On the Bill, he said there had been two sets of views on who should be the appointing authority — the Governor or the government, though there was no stipulation in the Constitution. It was for the government to decide the issue.
On the reason for staging a walkout, Mr. Panneerselvam and K.P. Munusamy, former Minister, said the action was to protest against the behaviour of a Minister towards one of their colleagues.
TTV criticises DMK
AMMK general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Monday criticised the ruling DMK for not having gotten the subject of education transferred from the Concurrent List to the State List when it shared power at the Centre between 1989 and 2013.
Responding to queries of reporters on the Vice-Chancellor legislation passed in the Assembly, he termed it a sudden move and added, “Let us see what happens to it. Had they [DMK] wanted, they could have gotten the transfer of education to the State list done when they were part of the ruling coalition at the Centre.”
He added that while there was no need for the Governor [R.N. Ravi] to toe the line of the State government on every matter, he should consider interests of the people of the State and act accordingly.
Annamalai, Vasan object
State BJP president K. Annamalai and Tamil Maanila Congress president G.K. Vasan objected to the Assembly adopting Bills to empower the State government to appoint Vice-Chancellors.
In a statement, Mr. Annamalai said the move was done with a political motive, and whenever politics mixes with education, it will affected the students.
In a separate statement, Mr. Vasan said the Governor was the Chancellor of the State Universities and he was provided with powers to appoint Vice-Chancellors to ensure that politics does not interfere with education. He also urged for the status quo to continue.
