Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Thursday sacked Minister V. Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers. However, within a few hours, the governor has postponed the order to sack Balaji from the cabinet. At the same time, Aam Aadmi Party has also raised objection regarding this.
Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has called it completely unconstitutional. Raghav Chadha has tweeted that, “According to our constitution, appointing ministers, shuffling departments and removing a minister comes under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Chief Minister. The Governor only has to forward the recommendations of the Chief Minister. The sacking of V Senthil Balaji by the Governor of Tamil Nadu is completely unconstitutional.”
this is the whole matter
Actually a letter was issued by the Raj Bhavan, in which it was written that Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal action in several cases of corruption including taking cash in lieu of job and money laundering. By misusing his position as a minister, he has been obstructing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice. He is currently in judicial custody in a criminal case, which is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He also has some other criminal cases registered against him under Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC which are being investigated by the state police. There are apprehensions that due process of law including fair investigation will be adversely affected if V. Senthil Balaji continues to be in the Council of Ministers.
Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 14 in the cash-for-job case. He was admitted to the Government Hospital in Chennai after he complained of chest pain. Later on June 15, the Madras High Court shifted Senthil Balaji to a private hospital. On Wednesday, a court had ordered extension of judicial custody of minister Senthil Balaji till July 12.
On the other hand, regarding the dismissal of the minister from the DMK, it has been said that who is the governor who sacks him from the cabinet. State Chief Minister MK Stalin said that after this decision of the Governor, Tamil Nadu CM Stalin said that the Governor has no right to dismiss any minister from the cabinet.