Tamil Nadu Assembly (File Photo)
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker has initiated disqualification proceedings against four former AIADMK MLAs who resigned their seats and subsequently joined the Vijay-led TVK, while dropping action against 21 rebel AIADMK legislators who supported the government during the May 13 confidence vote. The four former MLAs have meanwhile moved the Supreme Court by filing a caveat petition seeking an opportunity to be heard before any order is passed against them.
Talking to the media on June 9, Tamil Nadu State Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar said he had decided not to initiate action against 25 AIADMK MLAs who supported the TVK government during the confidence motion on May 13 in violation of the directions issued by the AIADMK whip.
However, following AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s letter withdrawing his complaint against 21 MLAs and stating that he had condoned their action, the Speaker decided, as per the Assembly rules, to drop the proceedings against those 21 MLAs.
Meanwhile, the Speaker said proceedings had been initiated against four rebel AIADMK MLAs, namely Maragatham Kumaravel (Madhuranthagam), S. Jayakumar (Perundurai), P. Sathyabama (Dharapuram), and Esaki Subay (Ambasamudram), who resigned and joined TVK on the same day.
The Speaker said, “Only after the completion of the process can I say whether they will be disqualified or not.”
If action is taken, the four MLAs would be treated as having been disqualified under the anti-defection law rather than as MLAs who voluntarily resigned their seats.
In the case of disqualification, their exit from the Assembly will be recorded as disqualified instead of resigned.
They will lose the benefits available to them as former MLAs and will not be eligible for benefits extended to ex-MLAs, such as a monthly pension.
KK Ramesh from Madurai filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a CBI investigation into alleged corruption and horse-trading during the trust vote held in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly to prove the majority of the TVK government led by Chief Minister Joseph Vijay.
The petitioner has also sought the imposition of President’s Rule in Tamil Nadu until the investigation is completed.
M Srinivasan filed a PIL seeking a direction to the CBI to register a case against TVK General Secretary N. Anand and four former AIADMK MLAs. He also prayed for the grant of an injunction restraining the four former MLAs from contesting by-elections either independently or with the support of any political parties until rules are framed by the Court.
Opposition parties, including AIADMK, DMK, PMK, and BJP, made allegations of horse-trading, which were rejected by TVK.
Four former AIADMK MLAs—K. Maragatham Kumaravel, S. Jayakumar, P. Sathyabama, and Esakki Subaya—have filed a caveat in the Supreme Court to ensure that the Court does not pass any ex parte orders against them without hearing their side in a plea filed by advocate M. Srinivasan.
Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi has moved the Madras High Court against the Tamil Nadu Gazette notification accepting the resignations of three former AIADMK MLAs who later joined TVK.
The Speaker clarified that the support of 25 AIADMK MLAs during the floor test on 13 May remains valid and that any outcome of the disqualification proceedings would have no bearing on the voting during the trust motion.
