Hc adjourns mla disqualification case, stay on tn floor test to continue

Justice K Ravichandra Babu ordered the continuation of the consent order earlier passed, and adjourned the case for further hearing till October 9 The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered

to continue its stay on floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. It also continued its stay on holding by-elections for the 18 seats that were declared vacant by the Speaker P Dhanapal after

he disqualified 18 MLAs belonging to TTV Dinakaran camp. Hearing the petition challenging the Speaker's decision to disqualify 18 MLAs, Justice K Ravichandra Babu ordered the

continuation of the consent order earlier passed, and adjourned the case for further hearing till October 9. The judge also ordered the Speaker to respond by October 12 to DMK's demand

for action against 11 legislators of the ruling party who had voted against Chief Minister E Palaniswami in a trust vote earlier this year as part of the rebel camp of O Panneerselvam. The

two factions of the AIADMK have since reunited. Appearing for the disqualified MLAs, senior Supreme Court lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi termed the action of the Speaker as

'unconstitutional' as he acted in a 'partisan and biased manner'. They were disqualified on an 'unnamed, unsigned and unverified' complaint against the MLAs

contrary to the principles of natural justice and all legal principles. Singhvi contended that the MLAs could not be disqualified under the provisions of the anti-defection law as they had

not gone against the party and only petitioned the governor for the removal of the 'corrupt' chief minister. "There were no legal proceedings conducted by the Speaker and

rules of natural justice were not applied to the MLAs," the counsel maintained. He pointed out that no action has been taken against the plea for disqualification filed against deputy

chief minister O Panneerselvam and 11 MLAs who voted against the government earlier this year. On the contrary, action against the 18 MLAs was taken on the same day of complaint and

disqualification was done within 21 days. Another senior counsel, Aryama Sundaram, who appeared for the Speaker, said the Speaker had filed a detailed counter affidavit strongly denying all

the allegations made against him and that there was no denial of natural justice. The Speaker has clearly stated that time was given to the MLAs several times. "We will argue the case

when our turn comes," he said. Singhvi will resume arguments on October 9.