In the wake of complaints of a breach of protocol at a government function attended by a Tamil Nadu MLA and the Chennai Mayor, Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar, on June 22, directed the Chief Secretary to instruct all District Collectors, Commissioners of Municipalities, Commissioners of Municipal Corporations and local body officials to strictly adhere to the warrant of precedence.
The Speaker said the objective was to uphold the privileges and protocol accorded to MLAs and to avoid similar disputes at official functions in future. However, he made it clear that the complaint did not warrant any further action and need not be referred to the Privileges Committee. The warrant of precedence prescribes the order of hierarchy and protocol to be followed at government functions and official events.
Warrant of precedence to ensure MLAs privileges
After Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar TVK MLA M.R. Pallavi complained of a breach of protocol at a government function attended by her and the Chennai Mayor, Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar directed the Chief Secretary to…
— B. Kolappan (@kolappan) June 22, 2026
The controversy arose after Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Mayor Priya Rajan kicked up a row during the inauguration of a school building in Pulianthope on May 4.
According to videos circulating on social media platforms, Priya, after lighting the ceremonial lamp (Kutthu Vilakku – a bronze lamp), passed the candle to the Corporation Commissioner, bypassing local TVK MLA Pallavi, who had recently undergone childbirth. Feeling insulted, R.K. Nagar TVK MLA Pallavi left the venue. TVK supporters alleged that she had been deliberately insulted and sidelined.
மேயர் பிரியா VS MLA!#MayorPriya | #dmk | #pallavi | #tvk | #Puliyanthope | #todayupdate | #tnnews24digital pic.twitter.com/jSmVDRWHLr
— TNNEWS24Air (@tnnews24air) June 4, 2026
The invitation to the event listed the MLA as one of the guests.
மொழியை திணிக்கிறாங்க ப்ரோ.
ஆமா ப்ரோ… மத்திய அரசு இந்தியை திணிக்குது.
ப்ரோ… திணிச்சது இந்தியை இல்ல, உருது மொழியை… அதுவும் தமிழகத்துல.
சரி ப்ரோ… எனக்கு அவசரமா 'அது' வருது… அப்புறம் இதைப் பற்றி விரிவா பேசலாம்.
— MR.Anil (@Saffron_Anil_) June 4, 2026
Mayor Priya, who is yet to pay a courtesy call on the new Chief Minister and greet the new government, justified her action, saying she had acted according to protocol. She said the order of precedence placed the Corporation Commissioner immediately after the Mayor, followed by the MLA. “We invited her as per procedure and honoured her. Some wanted to create an issue out of nothing,” she said.
எம்எல்ஏவை புறக்கணிக்கவில்லை: மேயர் பிரியா#MayorPriya | #MLAPallavi | #Chennai | #TVK | #DMK pic.twitter.com/TlYiG17MkO
— PttvOnlinenews (@PttvNewsX) June 4, 2026
Priya said the programme was conducted according to protocol and that the candle was first handed to the official next in rank after her. “The MLA was to receive it next, but she left the venue without saying anything. During the inauguration, she herself cut the ribbon ahead of me.”
She told media persons that the issue was being unnecessarily blown out of proportion, adding, “This is not a major issue. All due respect was given to the MLA. She was formally invited and we waited for her arrival before commencing the programme. The event was scheduled to begin at 8.45 am, but she arrived around 9 am.”
Pallavi, a first-time legislator, recounted while speaking to the media that “the school authorities had invited me two days earlier. I chose to attend as it was the first day of school reopening. The Mayor’s intention from the beginning was to keep me in the background.”
She added, “We cut the ribbon together. But during the lamp-lighting ceremony, the Mayor lit the lamp first and then avoided me. From the beginning, her actions appeared aimed at insulting me. I do not know whether it was planned in advance, but I felt disrespected and therefore left for another school function.”
The MLA further alleged that a similar situation occurred at another school reopening event she attended later that day.
Pallavi made national headlines for campaigning across the constituency while heavily pregnant (nearly eight months) and won by a margin of 22,333 votes. Days later, she again made news for attending the Assembly oath-taking ceremony as a heavily pregnant lawmaker prior to her expected delivery date.
TVK ThiruViKa Nagar MLA Pallavi given birth to a baby boy!
Vazhtukkal to her and family! pic.twitter.com/bdCoCNQEH7
— Sid (@nri4thalapathy) May 27, 2026
Critics said, “DMK has been waiting for an opportunity to attack the new TVK government. They feel that because of Vijay, DMK lost power, and if he is allowed to continue in office, it would spell difficult days for the party and affect the political future of Udhayanidhi Stalin. We can expect many more such incidents in future.”
