Chennai, Mar 14 (Reporter) The ruling DMK and the Raj Bhavan are at loggerheads on a host of issues. Both the government and the Governor Office seems to be heading for yet another stand-off with Governor R.N. Ravi puttng on hold the proposed swearing-in of senior DMK leader and former Minister K.Ponmudy to re-induct him into the Cabinet after getting a huge relief from the Supreme Court. The former Higher Education Minister was automatically disqualified as MLA after the Madras High Court convicted and sentenced him to three years jail term in a disproportionate assets case in December last year. However, on an appeal filed by him chllenging the High Court verdict, the Supreme Court had on March 11 stayed his conviction and sentence on following which Chief Minister M.K.Stalin yesterday sought time from the Governor possibly today for the swearing-in ceremony of Mr. Ponmudy, official sources said. When it looked like that things were moving in the right direction and that he was all set to rejoin the Tamil Nadu Cabinet, the sources said the swearing-in is unlikely to happen this week and might be delayed as the Governor will be leaving for New Delhi on Thursday on a 3-day planned visit. The matter (swearing-in event) was under the Governor's consideration and reports said Raj Bhavan has sought legal opinion from experts on whether inducting Mr. Ponmudy into the State Cabinet would be legally correct when his conviction and sentence has only been stayed in the interim, and not set aside by the Apex court. A clear picture on the issue will be known upon Mr Ravi's return from National Capital. Mr Ponmudy was elected from the Thirukkovilur Assembly seat in Villuppuram district in the 2021 Assembly polls. The Higher Education portfolio held by him was also reallocated to Minister R.S. Rajakannappan after he was disqualified. Following his conviction and the three year jail term, the Assembly seat represented by him was declared vacant recently by the Legislative Assembly Secretariat. However, Assembly Speaker M.Appavu on Wednesday rescinded his earlier notification declaring the Thirukkovilur Assembly constituency vacant in the wake of the relief granted to the former Minister by the Apex Court. The Tamil Nadu Government also made a request to the Raj Bhavan to induct Mr.Ponmudy in the State Council of Ministers following the Supreme Court judgment. A notification published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette yesterday by the Assembly Speaker said his earlier notification, dated December 19, 2023 (declaring Thirukkovilur Assembly constituency vacant), would cease to operate with effect from the same date, “in view of the interim order dated 11th March, 2024 of the Supreme Court of India in the Criminal Appeal No. 530-531 of 2024”. The Speaker also pointed out that the Supreme Court had, in its interim order, suspended Mr. Ponmudy’s conviction in the case by the Madras High Court. Mr. Ponmudy is also the DMK Deputy General Secretary and a native of Villuppuram district. The DMK strongman in the northern districts of Tamil Nadu, he has held various portfolios in the State Cabinet under late Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and Mr. Ponmudy’s son, Gautham Sigamani, is the present Lok Sabha MP from Kallakurichi...////...