Katju lauds Governor’s decision; fixes six months to rate Palanisamy’s performance

Speaking to reporters here on Friday, he said “Palanisamy has the support of a majority of his party legislators and he has to prove it on the floor. Let’s wait till then.” However, he refuted the chances of O Panneerselvam returning to power as he lacked the required number of MLAs despite people’s support. 

“People are not in the scene here, the MLAs hold the key and this is our system,” he pointed out. The former judge was in Tiruchy for a conference at National Institute of Technology. He was replying to the queries of reporters on the newly-formed Palanisamy government and the fate of the DA case in which AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala has been lodged in the prison. 

“The newly-formed government under Palanisamy had to be given six months to prove its performance. I pronounced the same suggestion when Akilesh Yadav became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2012. Till then please wait,” he said. 

When asked whether there was any chance for appeal as the AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai has been maintaining in the DA verdict case, Katju said “There is no legal institution above the Supreme Court and the verdict is final. They can file a review petition seeking consideration, but almost all the review petitions used to be rejected.” 

However, Katju refused to comment on the appeal to shift Sasikala to a prison in Tamil Nadu. In the meantime, he claimed that the announcement of the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya in the BJP’s election manifesto as a political gimmick.  

“Construction of this temple may not solve the problems like poverty, unemployment, health care issues and education. I am not for that but look into the people’s life”, Katju stressed and asked whether the construction of the temple would increase employment in the country."