A look at what defined the outgoing 16th Assembly of Tamil Nadu Premium

Explore the defining moments and developments of Tamil Nadu's 16th Assembly, marked by political confrontations and administrative innovations.

The tenure of the 16th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, which began on May 11, 2021, was marked by several distinctive developments including sustained confrontation between the Governor and the State government, historic resolutions, and notable administrative innovations.

The House was constituted following the DMK’s return to power with a clear majority after a gap of 25 years. While the party had formed the government in 2006 with 96 members and outside support from allies, including the Congress and PMK, the 2021 mandate was decisive. The DMK secured 133 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 118, while overall, its Secular Progressive Alliance bagged 159 seats.

The last time the DMK had secured a majority on its own was in 1996, amid a sweeping anti-incumbency wave against the then AIADMK government led by Jayalalithaa.

One of the defining moments came within a year of the constitution of the 16th Assembly. On February 8, 2022, during a special session, the House took an unprecedented step of re-adopting a Bill returned by the Governor. The Bill seeking exemption from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for undergraduate medical admissions in the State, was readopted with the support of members cutting across party lines, including the AIADMK, barring the four BJP members who staged a walkout.

The original Bill, adopted on September 13, 2021, was passed during the tenure of then Governor Banwarilal Purohit. Within days, he was transferred, and R.N. Ravi assumed office as Governor on September 18, 2021. The issue soon became a flashpoint. In 2022, Mr. Ravi returned the Bill, arguing it was not in the interest of students, particularly those from rural and economically weaker backgrounds.

After being re-adopted by the Assembly, the Bill was forwarded for Presidential assent. On April 4, 2025, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin informed the House that President Droupadi Murmu had withheld assent to the Bill. The State subsequently moved the Supreme Court on this issue.