PRESS NOTE

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ISSUE OF INVITATION TO CHIEF MINISTER, TAMIL NADU FOR THE SWEARNING-IN-CEREMONY OF THE PRESIDENT-ELECT ON 25^TH JULY, 2002 – CLARIFICATION

It has been brought to the notice of this Ministry that the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has expressed her anguish over the non-issue of an invitation card to her for participating in the swearing-in-ceremony of the President-elect. The Table of Precedence for formal Government functions/ceremonies held at Delhi is prepared in respect of only those dignitaries who are stationed in Delhi. They are invited as a rule. Dignitaries who are covered under the Table of Precedence but are stationed outside Delhi are invited only if they happen to be in Delhi and desire to witness the ceremony. This convention has been in vogue since Independence.

2. The Office of the Resident Commissioner, Tamil Nadu had made a telephonic inquiry about the procedure for issue of invitation cards to the Governors and Chief Ministers. That office was informed that invitation cards to Governors and Chief Ministers are issued on receipt of a specific request to this effect. The Special Resident Commissioner of Tamil Nadu did make a request for an invitation card for the Governor of Tamil Nadu. No such request for the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was received.
3. Besides the Governor of Tamil Nadu, invitation cards were also issued to Governor of Mizoram and Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Uttaranchal on receipt of a specific request to this effect.