Quarters of sacked MLAs sealed, 2nd caveat moved in SC

Chennai

Meanwhile, the ruling AIADMK filed the second caveat in the Supreme Court in connection with the AIADMK MLAs disqualification case. AIADMK whip S Rajendran filed the caveat on Tuesday. TN Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal had already filed a caveat in the apex court.

A directive issued to the disqualified MLAs by Assembly secretary K Srinivasan read, “taking notice of disqualification from the membership of the State Legislative Assembly as per orders of the Speaker under the Members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on the grounds of Defection) Rules, 1986, read with the 10th Schedule of the Constitution and notified in the Government Gazette dated September 18, 2017, the disqualified MLAs were not entitled to any facilities provided to them, including the MLAs’ residential quarters,” the notice read.

“Despite the orders of the disqualification, you have not vacated the MLAs’ residential quarters. Under the directions of the Speaker, the allotted quarters locked and sealed by the Secretariat,” Srinivasan said and asked the disqualified MLAs to take their personal belongings from the quarters in the presence of the under secretary (hostel administration) and vacate the premises.

He also noted the dissident MLAs to settle the pending rental dues immediately.

It may be noted that the state had already closed the MLA offices of the rebel legislators.

The ruling AIADMK and the faction led by AMMK leader Dhinakaran are also working over-time with the legal officers to discuss the upcoming cases against 11 MLAs who voted against Palaniswami and the 18 MLAs supporting AMMK.