TN Assembly to convene on January 9

Tamil Nadu Assembly will convene for its first session in 2023 on January 9 with customary address by Governor R N Ravi, Speaker M Appavu announced on Monday.

The duration of the session will be decided on January 9 at a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Assembly. Appavu said Governor Ravi will open the session on January 9 with his address following which the House will debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor's address and take up bills, besides other businesses.

"In exercise of the powers conferred upon me by clause (1) of Article 174 of the Constitution of India, I, R N RAVI, Governor of Tamil Nadu, hereby summon the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly to meet at 10.00 am on Monday, the 9th January, 2023 in the Assembly Chamber, Secretariat, Chennai-600 009,” the Governor said in his announcement.

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Appavu said Udhayanidhi Stalin, who was inducted into Cabinet led by his father and Chief Minister M K Stalin earlier this month, has been allotted a seat in the front row as he is placed 10th in the pecking order of the Council of Ministers. “He will be seated between Industries Minister Thangam Thenarasu and Law Minister S Regupathy,” the Speaker added.

The session comes at a time when the DMK government is involved in an intense battle with the Governor over his “refusal” to sign a bill banning online gambling and online games.

The opposition is likely to raise the issues like failure in “implementing poll promises”, non-inclusion of sugarcane in Pongal gift hampers and other issues during the session. They will also seek a discussion on the impact of monsoon rains in the state, sources said.

AIADMK, the principal Opposition party, had boycotted the October session after the Speaker didn’t change the seating arrangement of Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami and expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam following their fallout.