Speaker Prabhakar reopens AIADMK resignation case; EPS, 4 ex MLAs summoned for fresh hearing

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar has ordered a fresh inquiry into the resignation of four AIADMK legislators, summoning AIADMK Floor Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) and the former MLAs concerned to appear for separate hearings on July 30 before a final decision is taken on the validity of their resignations.

In her letter to AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, dated July 24, Assembly Secretary R Shanthi, described EPS as the floor leader of the AIADMK legislature party and asked him to appear before the Speaker and furnish his explanation during the hearing on four former MLAs. Similar notices were issued to former AIADMK MLAs P Sathyabama, S Jayakumar and K Maragatham Kumaravel, besides Esakki Subbaiah.

The letter refers to a series of proceedings issued by the Assembly Secretariat on July 6 and July 16, along with representations submitted by EPS on July 17 and July 21. It noted that after the resignation letters were submitted, Esakki Subbaiah met the Speaker on July 3. Subsequently, on July 9, P Sathyabama, S Jayakumar and K Maragatham Kumaravel appeared before the Speaker and recorded their statements.

However, after examining the subsequent representations and the records placed before him, the Speaker decided that a fresh round of personal hearings was necessary before arriving at a conclusion. The inquiry, the letter said, is aimed at satisfying the constitutional requirement that the resignations were tendered voluntarily and genuinely under Article 190(3)(b) of the Constitution and Rule 7(7) of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 1986.

Each former legislator has been allotted a separate 30-minute hearing on July 30. Sathyabama has been asked to appear at 11 am, Jayakumar at 11.30 am, Maragatham Kumaravel at noon and Esakki Subbaiah at 12.30 pm.

“The former MLAs shall appear in person before the Speaker on the scheduled date and time and submit their explanations,” the letter said.

“EPS will also appear before the Speaker during the hearing and may cross-examine the former MLAs if he chooses to do so,” officials said.