(Image source from: Indialivetoday)
18 Rebel AIADMK MLAs Disqualified By TN Speaker:- The 18 AIADMK MLAs who are supporting sidelined party deputy general secretary, TTV Dinakaran have been disqualified by Tamil Nadu Speaker, P Dhanapal on Monday.
Under Schedule 10 of the Indian Constitution, which deals with the anti-defection law, the MLAs were disqualified.
“The Speaker has taken action under schedule 10 of the constitution and therefore the following MLAs are disqualified and therefore they lose their MLA post,” said a statement issued by assembly secretary K Boopathy on Monday morning.
(Video Source: NTV Telugu)
The MLAs are S Thangatamilselvan (Andipatti), R Murugan (Harur), S Mariappan Kennedy (Manamadurai), K Kadirkamu (Periyakulam), Jayanthi Padmanabhan (Gudiyattam), P Palaniappan (Pappireddypatti), V Senthil Balaji (Aravakurichi), S Muthiah (Paramakudi), P Vetrivel (Perambur), N G Pathiban (Sholingur), M Kodandapani (Tiruporur), T A Elumalai (Poonamallee), M Rengasamy (Thanjavur), R Thangadurai (Nilakottai), R Balasubramani (Ambur), S G Subramanian (Sattur), R Sundaraj (Ottapidaram) and Uma Maheswari (Vilathikulam).
All the rebel MLAs were summoned by the Speaker, to appear before him. However, despite the speaker sending notices to all a couple of times, only a few of them appeared before him. In the previous month, after the EPS-OPS faction merged, 19 MLAs met Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and gave separate letters withdrawing support to the chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.
The strength of AIADMK has come down to 116 (including the speaker), with the disqualification of the 18 MLAs. The DMK has 89 members, the Congress has eight MLAs and the IUML has one member. The assembly had 234 elected members, with RK Nagar seat which former chief minister J Jayalalithaa represented remaining vacant.
With 18 MLAs disqualified, there are 19 seats vacant now. This means the assembly has only 215 elected members. The government, to prove its majority in the assembly now in case of floor test needs only 108 votes.
Dinakaran’s supporters, reacting to the decision of the speaker, said they would go to court against the speaker’s decision. “The EPS govt which can’t prove majority in the floor of House is resorting to disqualification of MLAs. We will move court seeking relief,” said Vetrivel, one of the disqualified MLAs.
Vetrivel said MLAs staying in resort at Coorg in Karnataka were being intimidated by the Tamil Nadu police. “The EPS government acts like a demon,” he said.
“This is murder of democracy by the Speaker to help CM. He could have disqualified the MLAs if they acted against the party whip during floor test, but he disqualified those who expressed their differences outside the assembly. I have lost my respect for Speaker,” said DMK deputy floor leader S Duraimurugan.
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