Here Are The 10 TN Bills Now Deemed Approved After SC Reprimand For Governor RN Ravi

The 10 Bills, spanning from 2020 to 2023, involve significant amendments to various university acts in Tamil Nadu.

Several of these Bills focus on redefining the appointment process for vice-chancellors in state-run universities.

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In a landmark ruling on Tuesday, the Supreme Court exercised its inherent powers to declare that 10 Bills withheld by Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi — some for as long as five years — shall be treated as having received his assent. The bench, comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, emphasised that Article 200 of the Constitution demands timely action from Governors and cannot be interpreted to justify indefinite delays.

The court stated that the phrase “as soon as possible” within Article 200 carries a constitutional imperative of urgency, effectively preventing any Governor from exercising a “pocket veto” by indefinitely withholding a decision on State legislation.

List Of Bills Deemed Assented

The 10 Bills, spanning from 2020 to 2023, involve significant amendments to various university acts in Tamil Nadu. These include:

Amendments to the Tamil Nadu Fisheries University Act (2012) – 2020 & 2023

Amendments to the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Act (1989) – 2020 & 2023

Tamil Nadu Universities Laws (Amendments) – Parts I (2020) and II (2022)

Amendments to the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University Act (1996) – 2022

Amendments to the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University Act (1987) – 2022

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Act (1971) – 2022 amendment

Tamil University Act (1982) – 2022 amendment

Shift In Power Over University Appointments

Several of these Bills focus on redefining the appointment process for vice-chancellors in state-run universities. The amendments, passed by the DMK-led government, strip the Governor — traditionally the Chancellor — of the power to appoint vice-chancellors, transferring that authority to the state government. Institutions that come under the process include the University of Madras, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, and others.

Legacy Of AIADMK Bills

Interestingly, two of the Bills date back to January 2020 and were passed during the AIADMK government’s tenure. These proposed changes to the administrative structure of the Fisheries and Veterinary Sciences Universities, including granting the state enhanced oversight powers and renaming the Fisheries University in honor of late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, as per a report on The Indian Express.