Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has refused to accept the recommendation of Chief Minister MK Stalin to appoint K Ponmudy as a Minister after he was reinstated as an MLA. Disqualified Tamil Nadu minister and DMK senior leader K Ponmudy had been reinstated days after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction and three-year jail sentence in a disproportionate asset case on March 13, 2024.
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption registered a case against Ponmudy and his wife, Visalakshi in 2011. Ponmudy again assumed the position of minister for higher education and mines during the DMK regime from 2006 to 2011.
The State Legislative assembly speaker, M Appavu, reinstated Ponmudy, who will continue as a member of the Legislative Assembly. The Speaker said Ponmudy’s membership has been restored in the state assembly.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote a letter to Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi asking for DMK senior leader Ponmudy’s oath-taking as a Minister.
Governor RN Ravi sent a letter to the state government on March 17, that he cannot administer the oath of office to Ponmudy (DMK senior leader and former Higher Education Minister) as his conviction has not been struck down by the Supreme Court, citing the pendency of the case.
The governor has expressed his inability to appoint Ponmudy as a minister again.
Earlier on March 1, Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition, Edappadi Palaniswami had written to Speaker Appavu in connection with the disqualification of K. Ponmudi as a member of the state assembly and the consequent announcement of a vacancy in the assembly seat.
“Your office is aware of the fact that K. Ponmudi, who was elected from (76) Tirukkoyilur Assembly Constituency and who was also a minister in the present government, had been convicted of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for having assets disproportionate to the known source of income by the Madras High Court vide its order dated December 21, 2023.
The Supreme Court has not stayed the order of conviction passed by the High Court,” Edappadi Palaniswami said in his letter.
(with inputs from ANI)
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