MLAs’ disqualification case adjourned to November 20

A batch of other petitions including the one pertaining to floor test and a quo warranto seeking to know why action had not been taken on O Paneerselvam and 11 MLAs who had defied the party’s whip during the floor test have also been adjourned to the same date. 

Following the single judge K Ravichandrabaabu seeking the Chief Justice to refer the batch of petitions to a larger bench, the first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar took up the hearing.

With the batch of petitions comprising as many as 7 aspects relating to assembly speaker P Dhanapal, initial hiccups prevailed as to which petition ought to be heard first. However, which the Chief Justice deciding to go as per the cause list, Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for the 18 disqualified MLAs owing allegiance to TTV Dinakaran faction commenced his arguments. His submission, which lasted for over two hours, dwelt mainly on how the MLAs he is appearing for have been robbed of natural justice. He said the speaker acted in haste and the decision to disqualify was premeditated for the sake of numbers.