No action against 21 AIADMK MLAs who backed TVK government, says Speaker

CHENNAI: No disqualification proceedings will be initiated against the 21 AIADMK MLAs who voted in favour of the TVK government during the May 13 floor test. Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar’s decision follows a formal request from AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) to drop the matter.

Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat, Prabhakar said proceedings, however, would continue against four MLAs — S Jayakumar (Perundurai), K Maragatham Kumaravel (Madhuranthakam), Sathyabama (Dharapuram) and S Subbiah (Ambasamudram) — who subsequently resigned from the AIADMK and joined the TVK. “A decision would be taken once the inquiry process is over,” he said.

The Speaker said AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami had initially petitioned for the disqualification of 25 party MLAs who voted in support of the confidence motion despite a whip issued by the AIADMK legislature party.

Prabhakar said the Assembly Secretariat had received four communications from Palaniswami on May 27 stating that 21 legislators had expressed regret for violating the whip and that, as party general secretary, he had decided to forgive them. The letters further stated that the legislators would not attract disqualification under Paragraph 2(1)(b) of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

After examining the communications and the relevant Assembly rules, the Speaker said he had accepted the request for condonation and dropped the proceedings against the 21 members.

On the likely outcome of the cases involving the remaining four legislators, Prabhakar declined to comment, saying the proceedings had only commenced and that a decision would be announced after the inquiry was completed.

He also clarified that the votes cast by all 25 legislators in favour of the confidence motion would remain valid.

"The confidence vote stands. The subsequent issue relates only to internal party discipline and the alleged violation of the whip," he said.

Responding to questions on the leadership of the AIADMK legislature party, the Speaker said no decision had been taken so far and that the Assembly Secretariat would act in accordance with the rules upon receipt of any formal communication.