A STILLBORN MOVE

First came the step into the grey zone, then the hurried backtracking. On June 29 evening, Tamil Nadu governor R.N. Ravi dismissed the corruption-tainted V. Senthil Balaji—presently under judicial custody—from the state council of ministers.

- Amarnath K. Menon

But, late that night, Raj Bhavan told the chief minister’s office that the dismissal order was to be kept in abeyance. Ravi is believed to have communicated that the Union home ministry advised him to first take the attorney general’s advice. Ravi has been taking on the M.K. Stalin-led DMK government ever since he became governor in September 2021 (see graphic). This time, clearly, the BJP-ruled Centre chose to err on the side of caution and avoid embarrassment on a constitutional matter that has not stood the test of legality.