Governor RN Ravi agrees to swear in K Ponmudy as minister after SC intervention

CHENNAI: Following the intervention of the Supreme Court, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi agreed to swear-in K Ponmudy as a minister. The swearing-in ceremony will take place at 3.30 pm at the Raj Bhavan on Friday. This comes after the apex court on Thursday questioned the conduct of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi over his decision to refuse to appoint K Ponmudy as a minister in the state cabinet and said that he had defied the order of the top court.

CJI noted that Ponmudy's conviction has been stayed by the top court and despite that, the Tamil Nadu Governor is not allowing him to swear in. The top court remarked, "Attorney General, what is your Governor doing, Please tell the Governor that it is going to make some observations now." The Supreme Court said that after the top court stayed Ponmudy's conviction, how could the governor say that, Ponmudy's re-induction as the Minister would be against constitutional morality?

CJI Chandrachud said, "We are seriously concerned about the conduct of the Governor in this case. We did not want to say it out loud in court but you are now constraining us to say that aloud." The top court commented that the Governor is defying the Supreme Court of India. The bench also remarked that when a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court stays a conviction, the Governor has no business to tell us that this does not wipe off the conviction and observed that those who have advised the Governor have not advised him correctly. Now the Governor better be informed that when the Supreme Court of India stays a conviction, then the law has to follow its course, the court said.

Disqualified Tamil Nadu minister and DMK senior leader K Ponmudy was reinstated days after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction and three-year jail sentence in a disproportionate asset case on March 13, 2024. Ponmudy was also the minister for higher education and mines during the DMK regime from 2006 to 2011.