TN Govt Issues Show-Cause Notices to SC/ST Commission Members Over Misuse of Powers

CHENNAI — The Tamil Nadu state social justice department has issued show-cause notices to members of the Tamil Nadu State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, including its vice-chairperson and writer Imayam, asking them to explain why they should not be removed from their posts.

The notices, dated August 25 and issued by Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation (TAHDCO) managing director K Kandasamy, granted the commission members three days to submit their responses. The state department has accused the members of misusing their official powers, failing to discharge their assigned duties, and demonstrating a lack of coordination.

According to the show-cause notice, the social justice department initiated the action after receiving several complaints against the commission members. With the post of the commission's chairperson currently lying vacant, certain members were allegedly acting in a unilateral manner.

The notice further stated that petitions submitted to the panel were not being properly inquired into, pointing out that there had been a clear misuse of powers and an absence of coordination among the serving members. In addition, the notice highlighted administrative lapses, specifically noting that no board meeting had been convened since August 21, 2025.

The office-bearers who received the notices had been appointed during the DMK government. In response, members of the panel have claimed that the state government's action is politically motivated. They alleged that the administration is actively seeking to remove members appointed by the previous DMK regime in order to replace them with its own nominees. Following the receipt of the notices, a few members are considering approaching the court to challenge the government's move legally.

The issuance of these notices comes amid a broader initiative by the TVK government to review several official bodies that were constituted during the previous regime, including the state fire commission, the information commission, and the state planning commission.