Oppn welcomes SC stay on Speaker’s order against 2 MLAs

The MLAs, VT Kalaiselvan and E Rathinasabapathy, had approached the Supreme Court to restrain the Speaker from acting on a disqualification notice for anti-party activities issued in their name, in view of their endorsement of Dhinakaran’s leadership.

DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi said that the Apex court stay has vindicated his party’s decision to move a no-confidence motion against the Speaker. “Speaker may have sky-high power but he is not about law. SC order has shown that the Speaker is not above the law. At least, after this, the Speaker should not act in a way that diminishes the image of the post held by him. SC’s order also vindicates our decision to move a no-confidence motion against the Speaker,” he said.

MDMK general secretary Vaiko hailed the Apex court order as a victory for democracy. He said that the SC was moved against the Speaker’s move to disqualify the three MLAs fearing fall of the AIADMK government. “There is a rule that bars the Speaker from taking any decision if a no-confidence motion is pending against him. DMK president MK Stalin took the efforts to move a no-confidence motion against the Speaker. The SC order has come at this time,” he said, adding that Speaker should drop the disqualification move and face the motion against him.

CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court order staying Speaker’s notice to three rebel AIADMK MLAs.

“Speaker would be able to disqualify the legislator only if they violate the whip inside the House. If the MLA violated the party’s discipline outside the Assembly, they could be expelled from the party. They could not be disqualified,”he said.