Governor Arlekar's Address Kicks Off 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly Session

Chennai: The first session of the 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly commenced smoothly on Thursday, June 18, 2026, with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar delivering his customary address. The session follows the formation of the new government led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, which recently secured a trust vote. Proceedings began at 10 a.m. with the rendition of the State song Tamil Thaai Vazhthu (Invocation of Mother Tamil), followed by the National Anthem.

In a departure from convention, the National Anthem was played at both the beginning and the conclusion of the Governor’s address. This practice contrasts with the previous norm of playing it only at the end. During the earlier DMK regime, a controversy had erupted when then-Governor R.N. Ravi walked out of the Assembly, citing objections to the Speaker’s refusal to play the National Anthem at the start of the session.

Governor Arlekar began his 37-minute address at 10:02 a.m., quoting former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai: “The people are the true masters of the nation.” His speech, divided into 57 points, included references to the Tamil literary classic Thirukkural and a statement by B.R. Ambedkar emphasizing the importance of equality, liberty, and fraternity in a democracy. The address concluded at 10:39 a.m., after which Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar read out its Tamil version, completing it by 11:10 a.m. The session ended with the National Anthem, and the Governor departed at 11:11 a.m. after greeting key leaders, including the Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition, Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Some DMK members raised concerns over technical glitches in the devices provided to access the Governor’s address. The issues were later resolved. Notably, DMK MLAs attended the session wearing black badges with the slogan “Vaai Thiranga CM” (Open your mouth, CM).

Following the Governor’s address, the Business Advisory Committee decided that the Assembly would meet for three days: June 19, June 22, and June 23. On June 19, obituary references and condolence resolutions for prominent figures, including veteran CPI leader R. Nallakannu and filmmaker Bharathiraja, will be passed. The Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address will also be moved that day, with debates scheduled for June 22 and a reply on June 23. The sessions will begin at 9:30 a.m., and the Question Hour will be suspended for these three days.

Responding to questions about the National Anthem being played twice, Speaker Prabhakar stated, “There is nothing wrong in rendering the National Anthem twice. What is important is that Tamil Thaai Vazhthu was sung at the beginning.” He also mentioned ongoing discussions about live telecasts of Assembly proceedings.

The session has set a constructive tone for the new government, with proceedings conducted without disruptions.