Former Member of Parliament and president of Puducherry Maanila Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam M. Ramadass has criticised Chief Minister N. Rangasamy for not allocating portfolios to Ministers even weeks after the declaration of Puducherry Assembly election results.

In a statement, the former MP said the results were declared on May 4. The Chief Minister and two other Ministers were sworn-in on May 13. After much delay, three other Ministers were sworn-in on June 17. However, not a single portfolio has been allocated to any of the Cabinet members till now, he said. 

“A Cabinet without portfolios for Ministers is merely a nominal Cabinet. There is no functioning government. One of the basic principles of the parliamentary system of democracy is that every Minister must be entrusted with specific departments and the Minister exercises executive responsibility over them. Without portfolios, Ministers are unable to discharge constitutional duties. By continuing to retain all departments under his own control, the Chief Minister has rendered the constitutional principle of collective responsibility meaningless,” the former MP said. 

The delay in allocating the portfolios, Mr. Ramadass said has caused administrative paralysis and confusion. The Chief Minister owed an explanation to those who have elected him the reason for not distributing the subjects among the Ministers, the MP said. 

“Every additional day of delay not only denies the people good governance but also undermines the democratic mandate given by the electorate. The people of Puducherry expect a government that functions in reality, not merely one that exists in name,” he said.