Secretariat gears-up for Udhayanidhi's induction

CHENNAI: After the announcement of cabinet induction of Chepauk-Triplicane MLA Udhayanidhi Stalin into the council of ministers (COM) was announced officially, a new enthusiasm is witnessed in the power corridors of Secretariat on Tuesday. The new minister chamber with spacious cabins and aesthetic lightings is the talk among the secretariat staff and the works for the new minister is carried out at a rapid pace.

Udhayanidhi will get his cabin on the 'D' block of the second floor of the Secretariat main building adjacent to the room of Law Department Secretary C Gopi Ravikumar. The cabin which will be occupied by Udhayanidhi was previously the cabin of officials of the Special Program Implementation department who were now sent to the ground floor opposite to gate no.8 of the main building.

The cabin of Udhayanidhi is designed in a spatial manner with a large waiting area and forms a replica of the Chief Minister's cabin. Sources in the Secretariat said that after taking charge as the Minister Udhayanidhi will head to the Secretariat. On the way the new minister will visit the memorial of late Chief Minister and his grandfather M Karunanidhi.

COM according to Indian Constitution:

According to article 164 (1A) of Indian Constitution, the total number of Ministers including the Chief Minister in the COM in a state should not exceed 15 percent of total MLAs. Going by the article, Tamil Nadu with a total strength of 234 MLAs can have a maximum of 35 ministers and with the induction of Udhayanidhi into the COM the total number goes up to 35. Right from the day of formation of the government, on May 7, last year, the number of ministers in the state was kept at 34 to to ensure a vacancy in the COM.