Blow to Tamil Nadu government as President returns Madras University Bill

The DMK government has repeatedly blamed the governor for this situation, accusing him of delaying assent to legislation and V-C appointments.

• President Murmu returns Madras University Bill to Tamil Nadu government
• Bill sought to let state appoint Vice-Chancellor for University of Madras
• DMK govt and Governor clash over university control.

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President Droupadi Murmu has returned the University of Madras (Amendment) Bill to the Tamil Nadu government, dealing a fresh blow to the DMK government’s efforts to assert greater control over the administration of state-run universities, according to a report by The New Indian Express.

Chennai University (Amendment) Bill, 2022, sought to empower the State government to appoint the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Madras.

The decision brings back into focus the long-running tussle between the state government and Governor RN Ravi over the appointment of vice-chancellors in TN universities.

The State Assembly had passed the Bill through a voice vote in April 2022 and forwarded it to Governor Ravi. However, the latter kept it pending for more than a year. Finally, it took a Supreme Court direction that Governors must decide within three months when a Bill is reserved for Presidential assent against the Cabinet’s advice for him to send it to the President.

While tabling the Bill, the then Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy cited examples from Gujarat and Telangana where State governments appoint Vice-Chancellors. Chief Minister MK Stalin had also pointed out during debate that the Governor does not make V-C appointments even in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home State.

The BJP opposed the Bill at the introduction stage itself, while the AIADMK staged a walkout over remarks made by a Congress member.

According to the statement of objects and reasons, the amendment aimed to align university governance in Tamil Nadu with other States and include the Finance Department Secretary as a syndicate member by amending the 1923 Act.

The DMK government has repeatedly blamed the governor for this situation, accusing him of delaying assent to legislation and V-C appointments. This dispute earlier reached the Supreme Court which, in April this year, delivered a landmark verdict on the governor’s role in dealing with state legislation. Invoking its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, the court granted “deemed assent” to 10 amendment bills passed by the TN Assembly in 2022, including those related to V-C appointments in 18 state universities.