NEW DELHI: A day after the Supreme Court's rap, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Friday told the top court that DMK leader K Ponmudi would be sworn in as a Minister on March 22.
Attorney General R Venkatramani submitted before a bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra that the Governor has invited him to be sworn in as the Minister.
He also said the Governor wanted to convey he had the least intent to disregard the order by the Supreme Court.
He said on a certain understanding of judgment, he has taken a view.
Following the statement, the court disposed of the interlocutory application filed by the Tamil Nadu government.
Appearing for the state government, senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi, A M Singhvi and P Wilson submitted the Governor has relented and invited Ponmudi for swearing in.
The court noted the Governor stated that he had no intent to overreach the order of the court.
On March 11, the top court had suspended the conviction and sentence awarded to Ponmudi in the disproportionate assets case.
Chief Minister M K Stalin sent a letter to the Governor on March 13 for reinduction of Ponmudi as Minister.
However, the Governor on March 17 responded that the conviction of Ponmudi has only been “suspended, not set aside” and therefore he cannot be appointed as minister.
Hearing an application by the M K Stalin government, the apex court had on March 21 rapped the Governor for defying the order and acting as per his subjective assessment.
"When the Supreme Court of India stays a conviction, the Governor has no business saying otherwise," the bench had said.
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