Tamil Nadu Assembly: from TVK Minister Keerthana not bringing election certificate to AIADMK MLA becoming emotional

From a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Minister forgetting to bring her election certificate to an AIADMK MLA breaking down, the oath-taking ceremony of the members of the 17^th Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu in Chennai was peppered with interesting incidents on Monday (May 11, 2026).

TVK Minister Keerthana without election certificate

Minister S. Keerthana, did not bring with her the certificate of election, when her name was called out in the Assembly to take oath. She was originally the 10^th legislator after the Chief Minister and eight Ministers to be called for taking oath. However, later in the day, she produced the certificate to the Assembly officials and took oath. However she was not alone.

Though the Assembly Secretariat had requested the newly-elected to bring the certificate of election without fail, while presenting themselves for making and subscribing the oath or affirmation, many failed to do so. They could not take oath when their names were called out. Later in the day, they managed to produce the certificates and took the oath.

‘Who greets whom?’

Likewise, there was a guessing game on ‘Who greets whom?’ Former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (AIADMK) and DMK Legislature Party leader Udhayanidhi Stalin greeted each other. When Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay entered the House, besides members from the TVK, many in the DMK and the AIADMK, including Mr. Udhayanidhi and Mr. Palaniswami were seen greeting him. Mr. Vijay too greeted all the members of the House with folded hands.

AIADMK MLA breaks down

AIADMK MLA K. Mohan from Panruti broke down when taking oath. He faced the portrait of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the House with folded hands and kept saying “Amma, Amma” before going back to his seat.

In another spectacle witnessed in the Assembly on Monday, some MLAs greeted Mr. Palaniswami before taking oath. A few TVK Ministers, as they walked towards the podium to take oath, also greeted the Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin and those seated on the first row of the Opposition benches. Notably, the Speaker is yet to finalise the seating arrangement of the House.

In the name of God or conscience?

Several MLAs inadvertently repeated the same procedural error while taking their oath. With both formats of affirmation — swearing in the name of God as well as affirming by conscience — printed on the oath sheet, many members read out the entire text verbatim instead of choosing one. The Assembly Secretary had to repeatedly prompt members to select either of the two formats before completing the oath.