🏛️ How Tamil Nadu Is Governed

India has a parliamentary system in each state too. The Governor is the constitutional head of the state, appointed by the President (Article 155). The Chief Minister is the real executive head — the leader of the party or alliance with a majority in the Assembly, appointed by the Governor (Article 164).

The Chief Minister chooses ministers, who are formally appointed by the Governor. Each minister heads one or more departments. Under the 91st Amendment (2003), the Council of Ministers cannot be larger than 15% of the Assembly — for Tamil Nadu’s 234 seats, that is a maximum of 35, and at least 12.

Ministers are collectively responsible to the Assembly: if the government loses a vote of confidence, the whole Council must resign.

Decisions are carried out by the civil service. The Chief Secretary, the senior-most IAS officer, heads the administration from the Secretariat at Fort St. George, Chennai. Each department — Health, School Education, Revenue, Home and so on — is run by a Secretary (often an Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary) who reports to the minister.

A Government Order is the official written decision of the state government, issued by a department in the name of the Governor. Schemes, appointments, fees, transfers and rule changes all come as G.O.s. Major policy orders are usually issued as G.O.(Ms.) and routine ones as G.O.(Rt.), each with a number and date.

If someone says “the government has announced”, ask: is there a G.O.? An announcement becomes action only when the order is issued.

Every year, the Finance Minister presents the budget in the Assembly — the government’s income and spending plan for the financial year (1 April to 31 March). MLAs debate the department-wise demands for grants, and the Assembly passes an Appropriation Bill. No money can be spent from the state’s funds without the Assembly’s approval.