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The tumultuous tenure of R.N. Ravi as Tamil Nadu Governor

March 05, 2026 5 min read Polity & Governance GS2 (Polity & Governance — Centre-State Relations Governor's Role)
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What Happened

  • R.N. Ravi's four-and-a-half-year tenure as Tamil Nadu Governor (September 2021 to March 2026) ended, marked by sustained constitutional friction with the elected DMK government
  • Ravi withheld assent to multiple state legislative bills, particularly those related to transferring Vice-Chancellor appointment powers from the Governor (as Chancellor) to the state government
  • He walked out of the State Assembly on at least four occasions, declining to deliver the customary address prepared by the state government — an unprecedented pattern of gubernatorial conduct
  • The Supreme Court in State of Tamil Nadu v. Governor of Tamil Nadu (April 8, 2025) ruled that Ravi's withholding of 10 bills was "illegal" and "erroneous," establishing landmark timelines for gubernatorial action on bills
  • Additional controversies included the dismissal of a minister arrested by the Enforcement Directorate and refusal to reinstate a minister whose conviction was stayed by the Supreme Court

Static Topic Bridges

Governor's Powers Under Article 200 — Assent to State Bills

Article 200 of the Constitution outlines the Governor's options when a bill passed by the State Legislature is presented for assent. The Governor may: (i) assent to the bill, (ii) withhold assent, (iii) reserve the bill for the President's consideration, or (iv) return the bill (if not a Money Bill) with a message requesting reconsideration. Critically, Article 200 provides that if the bill is passed again by the Legislature with or without amendments, the Governor "shall not withhold assent."

  • Article 200 — Four options: assent, withhold, reserve for President, return for reconsideration
  • Article 201 — Bills reserved for President: President may assent, withhold, or direct reconsideration; if re-passed, President is not obligated to assent
  • No explicit timeline in the constitutional text for gubernatorial action — this gap enabled the "pocket veto" practice
  • State of Tamil Nadu v. Governor of Tamil Nadu (2025) — Division Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan established binding timelines:
  • 1 month: If withholding/reserving on Council of Ministers' advice
  • 3 months: If acting contrary to Council's advice, must return with reasons
  • 1 month: If Legislature re-passes a returned bill, Governor must grant assent
  • The Court used Article 142 (complete justice power) to deem the pending bills as having received assent
  • Comparison: Article 111 (President's assent to Parliamentary bills) contains similar provisions but no timeline was imposed until the November 2025 Presidential Reference

Connection to this news: Ravi's tenure became the catalyst for one of the most significant constitutional rulings on gubernatorial powers, permanently altering the balance between governors and state legislatures by imposing judicially enforceable timelines.

Governor as Chancellor — University Governance Disputes

In most Indian states, the Governor serves as the ex-officio Chancellor of state universities, a convention (not constitutional mandate) established through individual state university acts. This dual role has become increasingly contentious as states seek to control Vice-Chancellor appointments through their elected governments rather than through the Governor.

  • Governor-as-Chancellor is not a constitutional provision — it derives from individual state university legislation
  • UGC Regulations 2018 (amended 2023): Prescribe a search-cum-selection committee process for VC appointments; require the Chancellor (Governor) to appoint from a panel of names
  • States that have attempted to transfer appointment power: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra
  • Supreme Court in Raj Bhavan v. State cases has generally upheld the Governor's role as Chancellor while recognising state governments' legislative competence to amend university acts
  • Education is on the Concurrent List (Entry 25, List III, Seventh Schedule) — both Centre and state can legislate
  • In Tamil Nadu, 10 bills sought to shift VC appointment power from Governor to the state government — these were the bills that Ravi withheld and the Supreme Court deemed assented

Connection to this news: The Governor-Chancellor dispute in Tamil Nadu is not an isolated event — it reflects a nationwide trend of opposition-ruled states seeking to reclaim university governance from governors appointed by the Centre, raising fundamental questions about federalism and institutional autonomy.

Governor's Role in Indian Federalism — Constitutional Intent vs Practice

The Constitution envisages the Governor as a constitutional head acting on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers (Article 163), while also serving as a vital link between the Centre and the state. In practice, governors appointed by the Centre have frequently been perceived as acting as agents of the Union government, particularly in states ruled by opposition parties. Multiple commissions have recommended reforms.

  • Article 153 — Governor for each state (or common Governor for two or more states)
  • Article 154 — Executive power of state vested in Governor
  • Article 163 — Governor acts on aid and advice of Council of Ministers, except in discretionary matters
  • Article 155/156 — Appointed by President (effectively the Union Cabinet); serves at the pleasure of the President with no fixed security of tenure
  • Sarkaria Commission (1988): Recommended that Governors should be eminent persons, not active politicians; removal should involve consulting the Chief Minister of the state
  • Punchhi Commission (2010): Recommended a fixed 5-year tenure, removal only through a resolution by the state legislature, and that the Governor should have a prescribed timeline for bill assent
  • B.P. Singhal v. Union of India (2010): Supreme Court held that the President's power to remove a Governor is not absolute — removal must not be arbitrary or motivated
  • November 2025 Presidential Reference (5-judge Constitution Bench): Clarified that Governors do retain some discretionary power under Article 200, but this discretion does not include indefinite delay

Connection to this news: Ravi's tenure epitomises the long-standing debate about whether the Governor's office serves as a neutral constitutional position or as a political instrument, a question that remains central to India's federal architecture.

Key Facts & Data

  • R.N. Ravi's tenure: September 18, 2021 to March 2026 (~4.5 years)
  • Bills withheld: 10 state legislative bills (primarily on university governance)
  • State of Tamil Nadu v. Governor of Tamil Nadu (April 8, 2025): Declared withholding "illegal and erroneous"
  • Timelines prescribed: 1 month (on advice), 3 months (contrary to advice), 1 month (re-passed bill)
  • Article 200 — Governor's assent options; Article 163 — aid and advice
  • Article 155/156 — Appointment and tenure of Governor
  • Sarkaria Commission (1988), Punchhi Commission (2010) — key reform recommendations
  • November 2025 Presidential Reference — 5-judge Bench advisory opinion on Articles 200 and 201