DMK confident of winning no-trust motion

Bharati told reporters at the Secretariat, recalling Stalin statement made a few days ago that they would move no-confidence motion against the Speaker if he issues notice against the three AIADMK MLAs. Law stipulates that the motion should be taken up whenever the House gets convened next. The DMK had last moved a no-confidence motion against Dhanapal in March 2017, but it was defeated by 122-97 margin then.

Exuding confidence that they would defeat the government this time, Bharati said, “The numbers of DMK and AIADMK will be different in the House when this notice is taken up.” 

In his notice, Stalin referred to the notice served to rebel AIADMK MLAs and counting date of the Assembly bypolls and said, “Making such a decision, which was in the nature of altering the majority (seat composition) in the House, suggests that the Speaker was acting partially and against the repute of the Legislative Assembly.” 

He also added that the inaction of the Chair on the notice issued by then whip against 11 AIADMK MLAs in 2017 had raised questions about the Speaker’s neutrality.

Irrespective of the outcome, the no-confidence notice of the DMK has prevented the Speaker from disqualifying the three AIADMK MLAs, thanks to the July 2016 order of the Supreme Court that ruled against the Chair disqualifying MLAs under defection law if he is facing the prospect of removal.