Special TN Assembly session on Tuesday; will pass NEET bill again: Stalin

Tamil Nadu Assembly will convene on Tuesday for a Special Session to pass “once again” the legislation seeking exemption from NEET for the state, as Chief Minister M K Stalin accused Governor R N Ravi of “failing” in his Constitutional duty by returning the legislation instead of referring it to the President of India.

The decision to convene the Special Session was taken at a meeting of all political parties chaired by Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday morning, which was boycotted by principal Opposition AIADMK and BJP, which is opposed to the legislation and in support of the conduct of NEET. The AIADMK, though in favour of the legislation, stayed away from the meeting.

Hours after the meeting, Assembly Speaker M Appavu said the Special Session will be convened on Tuesday, February 8.

Also read: Release TN governor's letter on NEET: Annamalai to Stalin

Saturday’s meeting by Stalin was convened after the Governor returned the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Act, 2021 to Appavu, opining that the legislation is “against interests of the students especially the rural and economically poor students.”

“The meeting passed a resolution in favour of presenting the Bill yet again in the Assembly by holding a detailed discussion on the points raised by the Governor while returning the Bill and placing the right arguments. Our aim is to ensure that the Bill is sent to the Union Government,” an official statement said.

In the event of the Assembly passing the Bill again, the Governor will be obliged to sign the legislation and send it to the President of India for his assent. In his opening remarks at the all-party meeting, Stalin said political parties in Tamil Nadu are speaking in “one voice” on doing away with NEET that affects the state.

“The legislation was passed on September 13, 2021, by the Assembly. The Governor should have sent the legislation to the President of India immediately. But he did not perform his constitutional duty. It is unfortunate that the Governor returned the Bill even before the President could take a call,” Stalin said.

NEET exemption bill “reflected” the sentiments of 8 crore people of Tamil Nadu, Stalin said, adding that the legislation was based on the recommendations of a committee headed by Justice (retired) A K Rajan.

Blaming the Governor for “sitting on” the Bill for 142 days, Stalin said the then Governor and the President had cleared legislation passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly in 2006 seeking to do away with entrance for admission into professional courses in 86 days.

“Tamil Nadu was the first state to do away with entrance exams. The legislation passed by the state assembly in 2006 was approved by the Union Health Ministry which opined that non-conduct of entrance exams will not reduce the standards of higher education,” Stalin said.

The Chief Minister also said the Bill was returned despite several requests from the state government to send it to the President.

In an unusual move, the Raj Bhavan had on Thursday issued a press note which said the Governor concluded that the Bill “is against interests of the students especially the rural and economically poor students of the State” after a detailed study of the legislation and a report submitted by Justice (retired) A K Rajan which formed the basis for the legislation.

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