Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami today said the Tamilnadu government took the executive route and issued an order providing 7.5 per cent horizontal reservation for government school students in medical seats as there was delay in getting the Governor’s assent for the Bill.

Talking to reporters in Ramanathapuram after paying tributes to Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar on the occasion of his Jayanthi day, the Chief  Minister said that with a view to ensure that students from poor and rural background get access to medical education, the State government had taken steps to implement the reservation this year itself and took the executive route.

The G.O was issued respecting the sentiments of the government school students and to ensure that they get equal opportunities along with others in medical education and to protect social justice.

Stating that neither the Opposition parties nor the public urged the government to issue an order, Palaniswami said the ruling AIADMK on its own issued the G.O for the benefit of government students.

In a veiled reference to the Opposition DMK, he said some people were trying to play politics on the issue and it would not succeed.