Confirming the development, PMK MLA A Ganeshkumar told DT Next that the Assembly Secretariat had allotted the room following a request made by the party's floor leader, Sowmiya Anbumani.

"Yes, the Assembly Secretariat has allotted us a separate room based on the request submitted by our floor leader," he said.

According to Public Works Department (PWD) officials, the room was carved out from the existing women MLAs' rest room to accommodate the PMK, thereby reducing the space available for women members.

Meanwhile, Premalatha Vijayakant, the lone DMDK MLA, has also sought a separate room for her party in the Assembly complex. However, her request is yet to be cleared.

Room allocation has emerged as a tricky issue since the constitution of the 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly. Besides the two major parties, the DMK and the AIADMK, the Secretariat has also been compelled to provide separate space to smaller parties with single-digit strength.

The demand was first raised by the Congress, an ally of the ruling TVK. The request was accepted, and the party was allotted a separate room, despite its two Ministers already having individual offices. The room will be used by the party's three other MLAs.

Following the Congress, the PMK also sought a room. After Sowmiya Anbumani submitted a representation to the Speaker, and based on the recommendation of the TVK-led government, the Assembly Secretariat allotted the space to the party.