is the capital of the state and houses the state executive, legislature and head of judiciary.
Under the
state's governor usually invites the party (or coalition) with a majority of seats to form the government. The governor appoints the chief minister, whose council of ministers are collectively responsible
to the assembly.
Legislative assembly elections are held every five years to elect a new assembly, unless there is a successful
chief minister, whose council of ministers are collectively responsible to the assembly. Given that he has the confidence of the assembly, the chief minister's term is for five years and is subject to no term limits.[4]Chennai is the capital of the state and houses the state executive, legislative and head of judiciary.[5]
passed by the legislature needs the assent of the governor before becoming an act.
Judiciary
The
Chief Justice of the Madras High Court.[9] The court is based out of Chennai and has a bench at Madurai since 2004.[10]
Administrative divisions
Further information:
Local government bodies in Tamil Nadu
As per the
village panchayats, administered by Village Administrative Officers (VAO).[13][12][14]Greater Chennai Corporation, established in 1688, is the second oldest in the world and Tamil Nadu was the first state to establish town panchayats as a new administrative unit.[15][13]
The administration of the state government functions through various secretariat departments. Each department consists of secretary to the government, who is the official head of the department with the
Chief secretary superintending control over the secretariat and staff. The departments have further sub-divisions which may govern various undertakings and boards. There are 43 departments of the state.[16]
The state emblem was designed in 1949 and consists of the Lion Capital of Ashoka without the bell lotus foundation and flanked on either side by an Indian flag with an image of a Gopuram or Hindu temple tower on the background. Around the rim of the seal runs an inscription in Tamil script, one at the top தமிழ் நாடு அரசு ("Tamil Nadu Arasu" which translates to "Government of Tamil Nadu") and the other at the bottom வாய்மையே வெல்லும் ("Vaymaiye Vellum" which translates to "Truth Alone Triumphs" also commonly known as "Satyameva Jayate" in Sanskrit).[17]