DMK Moves to Amend Constitution, Seeking to Scrap Governor’s Annual Address

In a bold constitutional push, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M.K. Stalin announced on Tuesday that his party will seek an amendment to the Constitution to eliminate the provision requiring the Governor’s annual address to the state legislature. The move follows yet another confrontation between the Tamil Nadu government and Governor R.N. Ravi, whose repeated refusals to deliver the customary address have escalated tensions in state politics.

The Governor’s address, traditionally delivered at the start of each Assembly session, outlines the state government’s policy priorities and achievements. However, Governor Ravi walked out of the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday for the fourth consecutive year without reading the address prepared by the DMK-led government, citing alleged inaccuracies in the text. The Lok Bhavan’s action has triggered sharp criticism from Stalin and his party.

Stalin, addressing the Assembly, described the Governor’s conduct as “unbecoming of the office” and asserted that the constitutional mandate for the address, under Article 176, should be re-examined. He argued that when a Governor repeatedly refuses to perform this ritual, the very basis of the provision comes into question. The DMK leader said his party will work with like-minded political forces in Parliament to delete the requirement from the Constitution through an amendment.

The Chief Minister framed the move as being in the broader interest of federal governance, especially in states ruled by non-BJP parties, suggesting that Governors have increasingly intervened in normative legislative practices. Stalin also reiterated that the government’s achievements should not be overshadowed by procedural disputes.

In response to the latest walkout, the Tamil Nadu Assembly adopted a resolution rejecting the Governor’s conduct and directed that only the government-prepared text be entered into the official records. This institutional rebuke underscores the deepening constitutional debate around the ceremonial role of Governors in state legislatures and their interaction with elected governments.