The Madras High Court is set to take up the issue of disqualification of 18 rebel AIADMK MLAs and DMK’s plea on floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday. Tamil Nadu speaker P Dhanapal on Monday had disqualified 18 legislators from the ruling party’s faction led by TTV Dhinakaran, citing anti-defection rules under Schedule 10 of the Constitution. The 18 dissident AIADMK MLAs were disqualified as they “distanced” themselves from their party and fell “into the control of persons outside their party” besides aligning with the DMK,
Dhanapal had held
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File image of O Panneerselvam and E Palaniswamy. PTI[/caption] Shortly after, Tamil Nadu governor C Vidyasagar Rao had met Union home minister Rajnath Singh. During the 20-minute meeting, the governor is believed to have apprised the home minister about the current political developments in the southern state, officials said. The disqualified MLAs had recently told the governor that they had no confidence in Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palaniswamy, and had accused him of being corrupt. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday dubbed as “blatantly partisan” the decision of the Tamil Nadu Assembly speaker and said that it was aimed at helping the minority state government, which he described as a “sinking ship”. In a series of tweets, he also said the decision was taken to “manufacture” a majority for the “paralysed” state government and called Tamil Nadu a “theatre of the absurd”. On Tuesday, sources had told News18 that about 100 Opposition MLAs had planned to put in their papers, a move which was seen as an attempt to put pressure on the governor to dissolve the state Assembly and call for fresh polls. However, later in the day, speaking to CNN News18, DMK spokesperson A Saravanan had said that no mass resignation was in order. “The move would only help the EPS-OPS faction, we can only appeal against the disqualification,” he said. Last week, the high court had stayed any trust vote until 20 September in response to a DMK plea.
AIADMK as it happened: Setback for EPS-OPS camp as Madras HC stays order on Tamil Nadu floor test, case adjourned till 4 Oct
C Vidyasagar Rao met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday adding fuel to the AIADMK row.
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No bypolls on seats of disqualified MLAs: Madras HC
Justice Duraiswamy stayed the floor test while hearing the petition from Dhinakaran camp legislators. The judge, while extending the stay on a floor test, also ordered that no by-elections will be held to the seats rendered vacant by the disqualification of MLAs.
Watch: Floor test in Tamil Nadu Assembly stalled until further orders
#BREAKING – Crucial order of judge stalls floor test in Tamil Nadu. pic.twitter.com/cd2heHe4Nc
— News18 (@CNNnews18) September 20, 2017
Governor has failed and can go to Mumbai: DMK MLA
Chief minister and Speaker collaborating to disrupt confidence motion: DMK lawyer
Palaniswamy govt could have won the floor test after disqualification of TTV MLAs
The Tamil Nadu government led by Palaniswamy could have won the floor test after the disqualification of the 18 MLAs. With the stay on the floor test, the situation has become difficult for them.
Madras HC adjourns case till 4 October
No floor test till case is disposed off: Judge Duraiswamy
In a huge blow to the Palaniswamy camp, which would have had the majority after the disqualification, Judge Duraiswamy said that no floor test will happen till the case is disposed off.
Confidence motion should not be held until case is over: DMK
Governor delaying decision on purpose: DMK lawyer
CNN-News18 reported that Opposition DMK’s lawyer Kabil Sibal said that Tamil Nadu governor is delaying the decision on purpose.
No floor test until counters are filed: Speaker’s lawyer
Speaker refused to show documents regarding disqualification: Dhinakaran camp
News18 reported that TTV Dhinakaran camp said that they had asked the Speaker for the documents regarding the disqualification of the 18 MLAs but the Speaker replied that it was not necessary to show the documents.
Speaker depriving the rights of MLAs: Dhinakaran’s lawyer
AIADMK leader claims Palaniswamy camp working at behest of Modi
AIADMK leader Apsara Reddy, while talking to CNN-News18, said that the Palaniswamy camp is working at the behest of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
A look at the AIADMK numbers after the disqualification
The disqualification clearly gives the Tamil Nadu government an advantage in the Assembly. With the disqualification, the total strength of the AIADMK in the Assembly has come down to 116.
Of the total 234 legislators, the number is now 231 excluding Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi and the Speaker. With 18 MLAs disqualified, the total number of seats in the House comes down to 213 and thus the halfway mark is 106. The merged faction of AIADMK has the support of 114 MLAs which is more than the required numbers to form the majority.
Anti-defection being misused by Tamil Nadu speaker: Dhinakaran’s lawyer
After disqualification, floor test should not happen: Dhinakaran camp
The Dhinakaran camp is reportedly saying that a floor test should not take place after the MLAs have been disqualified. Opposition DMK has been demanding a floor test for the Palaniswamy government.
Tamil Nadu in the dock as politicians stay busy with headcount
The consensus is that even if the government wins the trust vote in a truncated House, it would have lost the moral compass to rule. Though again it is not as if the party in power and its backers outside the borders of Tamil Nadu care for the morality aspect or public sentiment beyond a point.
Read the entire article here
Tamil Nadu politics is a tragi-comedy: P Chidambaram
Aryama Sundaram, representing the Speaker, begins argument
Aryama Sundaram asked, “Can the counsel accuse the Centre?” This comes after Dhinakran’s lawyer Dushyant Dave said that a few people in Delhi are deciding on what should happen in Tamil Nadu.
Dhinakaran lawyer Dushyant Dave ends argument
News18 reported that Dushyant Dave ended his argument, saying enough time was not given to the MLAs to explain their position. “In three weeks time, everything was hurried and the the MLAs were disqualified,” he added.
Opposition DMK to hold crucial meeting
DMK working president MK Stalin will hold a crucial meeting as soon as the high court hearing ends.
Image source: PTI
Dhinakaran lawyer says MLAs only wanted to change the chief minister
While reading a letter which was given to the governor, Dhinakaran camp lawyer said that the disqualified MLAs’ demand was only to change the chief minister. “They did not switch party, so anti defection law grounds are not strong,” he added.
Disqualified MLAs opposed Palaniswamy: Dhinakaran lawyer
Disqualified MLAs only opposed the ‘corrupt’ chief minister: Dhinakaran lawyer
Lawyers representing the Dhinakaran camp said that the MLAs did not oppose the government but only Chief Minister Palaniswamy because he is “corrupt”. The lawyer further said that the MLAs wanted a change in the leadership, News18 reported.
Disqualification of MLAs against natural justice: Dushyant Dave
While arguing for the Dhinakaran MLAs, Dushyant Dave said that their disqualification is against natural justice, News18 reported.
Dushyant Dave, representing rebel MLAs, begins arguments
Dushyant Dave, who is representing the TTV Dhinakaran MLAs, began his argument at the Madras High Court. Dushyant Dave and Salman Khurshid are representing the rebel MLAs.
Three independent MLAs demand cabinet berths: Report
CNN-News18 quoted some sources as saying that three independent MLAs are demanding cabinet berths. Ansari, Karunas and Thani Arasu have demanded berths in the Palaniswamy government.
Here’s a list of the lawyers representing the major parties in the case
Mukul Rohatgi to appear for Tamil Nadu govt
Aryama Sundaram representing the speaker
Salman Khurshid for TTV Dhinakaran MLAs
Ten rebel MLAs file fresh plea in court
Madras HC holds the key political crisis in state
A lot depends on the Madras High Court, which will hear a plea on the disqualification of rebel AIADMK MLAs. If the High Court upholds the disqualification, then 18 bypolls will have to take place within the next six months to replace those MLAs.
No resignations planned, says DMK
However, speaking to CNN News18, DMK spokesperson A Saravanan said that no mass resignation was in order. “The move would only help the EPS-OPS faction, we can only appeal against the disqualification,” he said.
Chidambaram attacks TN Speaker for disqualifying 18 MLAs
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Tuesday attacked Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal’s decision to disqualify 18 rebel AIADMK MLAs as “blatantly partisan” to help the minority government and said the state has become a “theatre of the absurd”.
Dhinakaran camp MLAs file plea in Madras HC against their disqualification
Palaniswamy asserts none can topple his govt
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today asserted that his government could not be toppled, though some forces harbored such hopes.
“Some think the government can be toppled. That is never possible as workers and supporters have put in their hard work for its formation,” he said in a veiled attack on sidelined party leader TTV Dhinkaran who is seeking his ouster.
BJP shouldn’t close it’s eyes to ‘murder of democracy’ in TN: Dhinakaran
Dhinakaran described as “murder of democracy” Speaker P Dhanapal disqualifying the 18 legislators owing allegiance to him and said he did not expect such an action from the former. The Dhinakaran faction, besides Opposition including DMK, have been since urging Rao to direct a floor test of the Palaniswami government.
He also said the BJP-led central government “should not close its eyes to this murder”.
Congress questions delay in disqualification of 18 TN MLAs
The Congress today questioned the “huge delay” by the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker and the Governor in disqualifying 18 AIADMK lawmakers under the antii-defection law, saying the decision is liable to be challenged in court.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said every polical party was monitoring the decision, but he adopted a cautious approach by saying that his party was not obliged to comment n another party
TTV Dhinakaran alleges vendetta by EPS-OPS
State police were sent to Coorg in Karnataka to hound my MLAs, says TTV Dinakaran, in an apparent reference to the EPS government in Tamil Nadu.
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