Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi has refused to re-induct senior DMK leader and former Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy into the Cabinet saying it would be against constitutional morality to do so.
In a letter to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Mr. Ravi said it was pertinent to note that the Supreme Court had suspended the conviction by way of interim relief to Mr. Ponmudy. It only meant that the conviction, though existent, had been made non-operative and not set aside, sources in the Raj Bhavan told The Hindu on Sunday.
The offences for which Mr. Ponmudy was held guilty were very serious relating to corruption that he committed as a public servant. “As he remains tainted of corruption, re-induction as Minister would be against constitutional morality and hence, I am unable to accede to your request,” the sources quoted Mr. Ravi as saying in the letter.
