Madras HC extends stay on floor test in TN Assembly

The Madras High Court today extended its stay order on a floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly till further directions.

Justice M Duraiswamy gave the order while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the disqualification of 18 rebel AIADMK MLAs belonging to the Dhinakaran camp by the Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal on Monday. There was also no stay of the disqualification of the MLAs.

The judge had on September 14 ordered there will be no floor test till today.

The judge also directed that no poll notification be issued for the 18 Assembly seats falling vacant due to disqualification of the dissident MLAs.

Eight of the 18 MLAs had moved the court yesterday, challenging the action against them under the anti-defection law.

The dissident MLAs condemned the Speaker's order as 'unauthorised' and 'illegal' in their individual petitions.

The petitioners also sought to restrain the Speaker, government chief whip S Rajendran, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and the Assembly secretary from interfering with their rights as elected representatives.