Fri Jan 17 16:19:09 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Intervenes in Tamil Nadu Governor-Government Stalemate
**New Delhi, January 17, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India on Friday intervened in an ongoing dispute between the Tamil Nadu government and Governor R.N. Ravi over the appointment of Vice-Chancellors (V-Cs) in state universities and the assent to key Bills.
The court orally directed Attorney General R. Venkataramani, representing the Governor, to seek a resolution to the impasse before the next hearing. Justice J.B. Pardiwala stated that if a resolution isn’t reached, the court will decide the matter.
The dispute centers on the Governor’s actions concerning the appointment of V-Cs, including his insistence on including a nominee of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairperson in search committees. This has led to several universities remaining without V-Cs for up to three years. The affected universities include Madras, Bharathiar, Anna, Annamalai, Periyar, Bharathidasan, and the Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University.
The Tamil Nadu government, represented by senior advocates, argued that the Governor’s conduct is obstructing the functioning of the state government and is akin to that of a “political opponent.” They further challenged the Governor’s decision to refer 10 re-enacted Bills, primarily concerning higher education, to the President for assent, arguing this action was unconstitutional. The President subsequently assented to one, rejected seven, and did not consider two. The state government contends that the Governor’s actions violate Article 200 of the Constitution, which vests the power over Bill assent solely with the State Cabinet.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the state government’s challenge to the Governor’s actions and will reconvene next week to assess the progress towards a resolution. The court’s intervention highlights the significant constitutional implications of the ongoing conflict and its potential impact on the governance of Tamil Nadu.
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