<p>The Supreme Court of India received a <span class="key-term" data-definition="A formal written order filed in a court seeking judicial review of a government action; important for UPSC candidates to understand judicial remedies (GS2: Polity)">writ petition</span> on 9 May 2026 that questions the constitutional validity of a press release issued on 7 May 2026 by <span class="key-term" data-definition="The constitutional head of a state in India, appointed by the President; his role in government formation is a key topic in UPSC Polity (GS2: Polity)">Governor</span> <strong>Rajendra Arlekar</strong> of Tamil Nadu. The petition argues that the Governor’s refusal to invite <strong>C. Joseph Vijay</strong>, leader of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="A political party that emerged as the single largest in the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly election; its claim to form the government is central to the case (GS2: Polity)">Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK)</span>, violates established constitutional conventions and deprives the party of a legitimate <span class="key-term" data-definition="A test conducted on the floor of the legislature to prove majority support for a government; a cornerstone of parliamentary democracy (GS2: Polity)">floor test</span>.
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<h3>Key Developments</h3>
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<li>Retired <span class="key-term" data-definition="Indian Police Service – elite civil service responsible for law enforcement; its officers often engage in public‑interest litigation (GS2: Polity)">IPS</span> officer <strong>M. Ramasubramani</strong> filed the petition through advocate <strong>G. Siva Bala Murugan</strong>.</li>
<li>The petition contends that the Governor’s demand for physical letters of support from MLAs is a “subjective satisfaction” that contravenes the principle that majority is decided on the <span class="key-term" data-definition="The lower house of a state legislature; where the majority of elected members sit (GS2: Polity)">Legislative Assembly</span>.</li>
<li>This is the second petition in as many days; an earlier petition by <strong>Ezhilarasi P.</strong> also sought a mandatory invitation to the single largest party.</li>
<li>The petition emphasizes that a <span class="key-term" data-definition="A situation where no party or coalition has an outright majority in the legislature; triggers special constitutional procedures (GS2: Polity)">hung Assembly</span> does not empower the Governor to pre‑empt the democratic process.</li>
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<h3>Important Facts</h3>
<ul>
<li>The Tamil Nadu Assembly comprises <strong>234 seats</strong>.</li>
<li>The press release dated 7 May 2026 denied Mr. Vijay’s claim to form the government despite TVK being the single largest party.</li>
<li>The petition cites established constitutional conventions that the majority should be tested on the floor, not through private consultations at “Lok Bhavan”.</li>
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<h3>UPSC Relevance</h3>
<p>Understanding the limits of a Governor’s discretionary power is crucial for
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