AIADMK merger: Petition moved in Madras HC to direct Tamil Nadu governor to order floor test

Chennai: A petition was on Thursday moved in the Madras High Court by an advocate seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to order a floor test for the K Palaniswamy government in the Assembly in view of 19 ruling AIADMK MLAs ‘withdrawing’ their support to the chief minister. [caption id=“attachment_3957229” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File images of O Panneerselvam and Palaniswamy. PTI[/caption] In his writ petition, advocate P Pugalenthi submitted that the governor “has not so far taken any steps” for the conduct of the floor test though the MLAs had informed him that they did not have confidence in the chief minister. The ‘inaction’ on the part of the governor to order a floor test would pave the way for horse-trading and also would be destructive of public interest, he contended. The petitioner said Palaniswamy was sworn in on 16 February with the governor directing him to seek a vote of confidence in the assembly within 15 days. The trust vote held on 18 February was won by the chief minister with the support of 122 MLAs, he said. The petitioner, further submitted, that out of the 122 MLAs, a total of 19 legislators “withdrew their support” on 22 August and in a letter to the governor said they do not have confidence in the present chief minister. He said Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly MK Stalin (DMK) had written to the governor on the same day requesting him to uphold the constitutional norms by directing the chief minister to prove his majority. The petitioner sought a direction to the governor to conduct the floor test to ensure that the state government functioned in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.