Political tempers flared in the legislative assemblies of Kerala and Tamil Nadu as sharp confrontations erupted between Governors and elected state governments over the customary policy addresses, triggering intense debate on constitutional propriety and federal principles.
In Kerala, controversy unfolded during the opening of the Budget Session when Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar delivered the policy address but allegedly skipped portions of the speech approved by the state Cabinet. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accused the Governor of selectively omitting references critical of the Union government’s fiscal policies and delays in clearing state legislation. The episode sparked heated exchanges in the Assembly, with the Speaker asserting that only the Cabinet-approved text would be treated as the official policy address.
A far more dramatic scene played out in Tamil Nadu, where Governor R. N. Ravi reportedly walked out of the Assembly without delivering the policy address, citing objections to the content prepared by the ruling DMK government. The sudden exit, coming minutes after the session began, drew strong condemnation from Chief Minister M. K. Stalin and ruling party legislators, who termed the move a violation of constitutional conventions.
Opposition parties and legal experts weighed in as well, warning that repeated standoffs between Governors and state governments risk undermining democratic norms and the spirit of cooperative federalism. Critics stressed that Governors are constitutionally bound to act on the aid and advice of elected governments, particularly in matters such as policy addresses.
The twin confrontations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu have once again brought the Governor’s role in opposition-ruled states into sharp focus, highlighting growing tensions between Raj Bhavans and elected governments—and raising fresh questions about constitutional balance ahead of crucial political battles.
