Continuance of Senthil Balaji as a minister without portfolio will serve no purpose: HC

The Madras High court on Tuesday observed the continuance of V Senthil Balaji as a Minister without portfolio in the MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu cabinet will serve no purpose and it does not augur well with the principles of good governance and purity in administration.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice S V Gangapurwala and Justice P D Audikesavalu made the observation while disposing of the petitions filed by two advocates and former AIADMK MP Dr J Jayavardhan.

While the quo warranto petitions filed by Jayavardhan and advocate Ramachandran questioned under what authority Balaji was holding the post of a Minister without portfolio, a PIL filed by advocate M L Ravi sought a direction to quash the order of the Tamil Nadu Governor dismissing Balaji and his subsequent order to keep the same in abeyance.