I leave it to the MLAs to decide whether they should get up when the Chief Minister arrives, says Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker

Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar expressed on Monday (August 17, 2026) that the decision regarding whether MLAs should stand when the Chief Minister arrives in the House rests with the individual members. He stated, “When the Assembly convenes, there is no doubt that the Speaker, who is the presiding officer, alone gets the respect.

When the Chief Minister arrives before the Assembly convenes and greets the members, I have seen former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami also getting up and greeting him.” Prabhakar clarified that while it is not mandatory to stand up for the Chief Minister or Leader of the Opposition, showing respect is an integral part of Tamil culture and tradition.

It is up to the individual MLAs to decide whether or not to follow this practice. The debate on the topic began after Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department S. Ramesh accused Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin of lacking "dignity" for not standing when Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, who represents eight crore Tamil people, entered the House.

However, DMK MLA and former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam emphasized that the historic Assembly has long-standing traditions. The Speaker, as the presiding officer, is traditionally greeted by all MLAs regardless of their party affiliation when they arrive. The Chief Ministers were also expected to offer a 'Vanakkam' gesture to the members before taking their seats.

Prabhakar urged the Chief Minister to clarify whether the same courtesy should be extended to the Leader of the Opposition, and whether other MLAs should stand up to offer their respect as well.