TN Governor Walks Out Again as DMK Pushes Constitutional Change
TN Governor Walks Out Again as DMK Pushes Constitutional Change
Tamil Nadu’s governor again leaves the assembly on day one, as the DMK-led government pushes for a constitutional amendment to end the governor’s annual address.
On opening day of the first session in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the Governor, R N Ravi, again walked out of the Assembly without delivering his customary address, marking the third straight year of a contentious ritual. The governor’s office listed 12 reasons for the walkout, reviving a dispute that has framed Tamil Nadu politics since the DMK-led government came to power in 2021. The assembly proceeded with business as Chief Minister M K Stalin and his ministers stood by a government-authored text, while Ravi objected to elements of the speech and to the broader practice of the Governor delivering the annual address.
Inside the House, Stalin signaled a longer-term remedy: a constitutional amendment aimed at eliminating the need for the Governor to read the government-prepared address at the start of every session. He asserted that the government should set the agenda for the assembly, arguing that the Governor’s address should reflect the will of the elected representatives rather than a government-scripted narrative. In a related move, the House adopted a resolution to record the English version of the speech as read, underscoring the procedural tensions fueling the confrontation.
The confrontation has drawn reactions from across the political spectrum. AIADMK lawmakers staged a walkout alongside the Governor’s action. Critics from allied outfits such as AMMK and PMK weighed in, accusing the state government of humiliating the Constitution and the legislature. The episode echoes a broader legal tussle that has punctuated governance in Tamil Nadu, including a Supreme Court dispute over bills not signed by the Governor, and highlights the fractured dynamic between the elected government and the constitutional office.
Historically, Ravi has delivered the address only in 2022; in 2023 he omitted portions and offered his own comments, while in 2024, 2025 and now 2026 he again walked out. The governor’s office has repeatedly pointed to objections about procedural elements, including the playing of the state anthem, Tamil Thai Vaazhthu, at the session’s start and the national anthem at the end, a ritual that continues to inflame tensions. As the political drama unfolds, Stalin’s push for a constitutional change signals a battle over the balance of power between the Governor and the democratically elected government, a struggle with significant implications for Tamil Nadu’s governance in the years ahead.
