Senior advocate Aryama Sundaram urged Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to invite TVK leader Vijay to form the Tamil Nadu government following recent elections.

The request comes as the state faces a hung assembly, making the Governor's decision critical to avoiding a prolonged political deadlock and ensuring administrative stability.

Sundaram argued that the Governor has a constitutional duty to test the numbers of the largest party in the House. According to reports, TVK emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats [1]. Sundaram said that the Governor should not block the formation of a government when a clear majority holder exists.

"It is the Governor's constitutional duty to invite the largest party to form the government and test its numbers in the House," Sundaram said.

The process has faced delays in Chennai. Some reports indicate the Governor has paused the invitation to form the government, while other accounts suggest the Governor is under pressure from the BJP and Prime Minister Modi not to invite Vijay [2], [3].

Sundaram's appeal emphasizes that the Governor's primary role is to facilitate the democratic process by allowing the party with the most seats to attempt to build a majority. By delaying the invitation, the advocate suggests the state risks instability, a situation that could hinder governance in the region.

"The Governor should not block the formation of a government when a clear majority holder exists," Sundaram said.

The TVK leader now awaits a formal decision from the Governor's office to determine if he will be tasked with assembling a coalition or governing as the largest single entity.

“"It is the Governor's constitutional duty to invite the largest party to form the government and test its numbers in the House."”

The tension between the Governor's discretionary powers and the mandate of the single-largest party often leads to constitutional friction in Indian state politics. If the Governor continues to delay the invitation to Vijay, it may set a precedent for judicial intervention to determine the legal requirements for government formation in a hung assembly.