SC Stays Notice Issued Against 3 AIADMK MLAs by TN Speaker For Supporting TTV Dhinakaran

AIADMK MLAs E Rathinasabapathy and VT Kalaiselvan requested the apex court to prohibit the Speaker from disqualifying them. Thus the Supreme Court ordered an interim stay.

Chennai: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the disqualification proceedings initiated by Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal against three AIADMK MLAs for supporting TTV Dhinakaran. In return, a notice was issued by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi to the Speaker seeking his response.

On Monday, a petition was filed by two AIADMK MLAs namely E Rathinasabapathy from Aranthangi and VT Kalaiselvan from Virudhachalam. The two MLA’s requested the apex court on Friday to prevent the Speaker from disqualifying them. Based on the petition filed by the MLAs, the Supreme Court ordered an interim stay and served a notice to the Speaker for his response.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami questioned the DMK’s notion in seeking the removal of Speaker Dhanapal if it was confident of emerging victorious in the by-polls to 22 Assembly constituencies in the State. Palaniswami added that it was due to fear of defeat at the hustings.

The AIADMK co-coordinator said, “You are not confident (of victory) and that is why you are bringing the no-confidence motion (against the Speaker).”

On April 30, Speaker P Dhanapal issued notices to A Prabhu (Kallakurichi), V T Kalaiselvan (Vriddhachalam) and E Rathinasabapathy (Aranthangi) all belonging to the AIADMK for siding with Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam led by TTV Dhinakaran.

The notices were sent seeking their explanation based on a complaint by government whip S Rajendran seeking “due legal action” against the trio under the anti-defection law for alleged anti-party activities.

The Chief Minister recalled that since the three AIADMK MLAs acted against the party interests, the government whip submitted a complaint against them to Speaker P Dhanapal.

“As soon as the complaint was given, DMK moved a motion seeking removal of the Speaker,” he said adding this has exposed the links between these MLAs, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam and the DMK.

(With agency inputs)