Privilege notice against ex-minister Velu: Speaker assures action on ₹2,000 cr liability issue

Chennai: State PWD minister Aadhav Arjuna raised a privilege notice in the assembly on Tuesday against his predecessor E V Velu, alleging that the former minister had granted administrative sanction for ₹2000 crore worth projects during his tenure without the assembly's approval. Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker J C D Prabhakar on Tuesday assured the House that he would examine the privilege notice against Velu and take appropriate action over his action which caused an `unauthorised committed liability' of ₹2,000 crore. The notice, raised under Rule 219 by minister Aadhav Arjuna, alleged that during Velu's tenure as highways and public works minister in the 2021-2026 term, govt issued GO on Jan 14, 2026, granting advance administrative sanction of ₹2,000 crore for 80 works under Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme for 2026-27. The expenditure was to be adjusted against future allocations. At the time, demands for grants for 2026-27 had not been voted on by Legislative Assembly, and Appropriation Act had not been passed. However, tenders were floated and work orders for all 80 projects were issued during 2025-26, creating the liability without prior legislative concurrence, the minister said. The notice said Articles 202 to 206 of Constitution vested expenditure authority and grant approvals in Legislative Assembly. Under Article 203, the House could approve, reject or reduce any demand for a grant, it added. Alleging that the action impaired the dignity and financial authority of the House, Aadhav Arjuna urged Speaker under Rule 225 to refer the matter to Privileges Committee for examination, investigation and a report. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Chennai | Silver Rate in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai | Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Petrol Price in Chennai | Diesel Price in Chennai | CNG Price in Chennai | LPG Price in Chennai Stay updated with the latest Chennai news. Download the TOI App.