In his address to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on May 12, 2026, Chief Minister Thiru. S. Joseph Vijay felicitated the newly appointed Speaker, Thiru. J.C.T. Prabhakar, and Deputy Speaker, Thiru. M. Ravishankar. The Chief Minister began by quoting former US President Abraham Lincoln, stating, "Government of the people, by the people, for the people is democracy," and underscored the Assembly's crucial role in addressing public expectations and implementing welfare schemes and laws. He emphasized equality within the Assembly, ensuring that the opinions of all parties, regardless of their member count, are respected. He also spoke about the historical tradition of the Speaker's role, drawing parallels from the British Parliament, where the Speaker's duty to convey parliamentary decisions to the monarch was historically fraught with danger, leading to the symbolic act of being escorted to the chair. The Chief Minister praised both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker for their commitment to public service, having risen from ordinary backgrounds, and entrusted them with the responsibility of upholding the Assembly's dignity, decorum, and democratic principles, in line with the wisdom of Thirukkural. He also acknowledged the temporary Speaker Thiru. M.V. Karuppiah and paid tribute to former Speakers.