HC Hears TVK MLA Oath Challenge, TN Minister Keerthana Delayed Before Taking Oath

The Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed a series of unusual and emotionally charged moments during the oath-taking ceremony of newly elected MLAs on Monday, as procedural checks and personal emotions briefly overshadowed proceedings.

Among the key incidents, Minister-elect S Keerthana initially could not take oath after failing to produce her Certificate of Election , a mandatory document for assuming office. When her name was called by Assembly Principal Secretary K Srinivasan , she approached the podium but was stopped after being asked to present the certificate, which was visible during live proceedings.

Unable to provide it at that moment, she stepped away and was not allowed to proceed. An official later said MLAs had been clearly instructed to carry their certificates, and Keerthana would be allowed to take oath once she submitted it. Hours later, she returned with the document, submitted it, and took oath in the name of God.

In another instance, TVK MLA R Kumar from Velachery briefly created confusion after submitting a certificate belonging to a fellow party colleague. The error was quickly identified by officials, following which Kumar retrieved his correct document and was then permitted to take oath. He had won his seat by a margin of 33,305 votes , defeating AIADMK’s M K Ashok.

The session also saw an emotional moment when AIADMK MLA K Mohan broke down during the ceremony and paid tribute to former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa , offering prayers before her portrait inside the Assembly.

Officials reiterated that all legislators, including Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay , had been required to submit their election certificates before swearing in, in line with constitutional procedure. Vijay, who won from Perambur and Tiruchi East , has already resigned from the latter seat.

Keerthana, elected from Sivakasi with a margin of 11,670 votes , was among the last ministers in Cabinet ranking to take oath, after completing the documentation process.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly, with a strength of 233 members , saw a mix of strict procedural enforcement, administrative hiccups, and emotional moments marking the commencement of the new legislative term.