Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

COURT STAYS TN FLOOR TEST TILL OCTOBER 4

Refuses to stay the disqualifi­cation of 18 AIADMK legislator­s

- KV Lakshmana n letters@hindustant­imes.com

The Madras high court said on Thursday that there would be no floor test in the assembly until the court disposed of all petitions challengin­g the disqualifi­cation of rebel AIADMK legislator­s who are key to the survival of the state government.

Justice M Duraiswamy gave the order while hearing a clutch of petitions challengin­g the disqualifi­cation of 18 rebel AIADMK MLAs, who support expelled former deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran, by the assembly Speaker P Dhanapal on Monday.

The court set the next date of hearing on October 4 but didn’t stay the disqualifi­cations, which have been contested both by the opposition DMK and Dinakaran.

Justice Duraiswamy also barred any bypoll notificati­on for the seats held by the disqualifi­ed MLAs.

Eight of the 18 MLAs had moved the court on Monday, challengin­g the action against them under the anti-defection law. The dissident MLAs condemned the Speaker’s order as ‘unauthoris­ed’ and ‘illegal’ in their individual petitions.

The 18 rebel MLAs say that their disqualifi­cation under antidefect­ion laws doesn’t stand legal scrutiny as they didn’t join any other party.

The petitioner­s also sought to restrain the Speaker, govern- ment chief whip S Rajendran, chief minister Palaniswam­i and the assembly secretary from interferin­g with their rights as elected representa­tives.

The Monday disqualifi­cation was a boost to Palaniswam­i as it brought the halfway mark in the 234-member assembly down to 108 from 117. The AIADMK government claims the support of 114 MLAs. If the disqualifi­cations are reversed, then the CM doesn’t have the numbers for a majority.

The current crisis began last month after Palaniswam­i and deputy CM Panneersel­vam removed Dinakaran and his aunt, jailed party ex-secretary VK Sasikala, from all party posts. Dinakaran struck back, claiming the support of 18 MLAs.

In whichever river he takes a bath... his betrayal of 1.5 crore party workers and its general secretary (V K Sasikala) will not go away. TTV DINAKARAN, Taking a jibe at CM’s dip in Cauvery river

 ?? PTI PHOTO ?? Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswam­i takes a dip in the Cauvery river at a temple in Mayiladuth­urai in Nagappatti­nam district of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, along with handloom and textiles minister OS Manian (right).
PTI PHOTO Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswam­i takes a dip in the Cauvery river at a temple in Mayiladuth­urai in Nagappatti­nam district of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, along with handloom and textiles minister OS Manian (right).

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