The Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan has denied allegations that Governor R. N. Ravi delayed giving his assent to Bills passed by the State Assembly, asserting that official records contradict such claims.
In a statement issued on November 7, the Raj Bhavan described the reports suggesting that the Governor was intentionally holding up Bills or acting “against the interests of the people” as “unfounded and factually incorrect”. It clarified that as of October 31, 81 percent of the Bills received had already been assented to by the Governor.
According to the release, 95 of these Bills were approved within three months of being received. “Thirteen per cent of the Bills have been reserved for the consideration of the President (60 per cent of these Bills have been reserved on the recommendation of the State Government),” the statement added.
It further noted that the remaining Bills were only received in the last week of October 2025 and were still under active consideration. “These details would demonstrate the falsity of the claims made in social media and the public domain,” the release said.
The Raj Bhavan also clarified that all Bills returned to the Assembly and subsequently re-passed had received the Governor’s assent. However, “10 Bills were withheld by the Governor, and the decision was conveyed to the Government,” it stated. When those Bills were reintroduced and passed again by the Assembly, the Governor reserved them for the President’s consideration, as they were deemed inconsistent with the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations framed under an Act of Parliament and therefore beyond the jurisdiction of the State Legislature.
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The statement emphasised that Governor Ravi has scrutinized every Bill with “due diligence” to uphold the rule of law and protect the interests of the people of Tamil Nadu. It said the Governor “has always acted strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of India,” performing his duties “with utmost sincerity, transparency, and commitment to the people of the State, without any political considerations and with complete fairness, diligence, and respect for democratic processes.”
“The Governor holds the highest respect and regard for the people of Tamil Nadu and has been supporting spiritual, cultural and linguistic initiatives that highlight Tamil heritage, art, and literature, reinforcing his deep respect for Tamil culture and continues to work for their welfare within the framework of the Constitution of India,” the Raj Bhavan said.
With PTI inputs
