Rebel AIADMK MLAs get Supreme Court reprieve

The apex court stayed the disqualification proceedings against two MLAs who were served notices under the anti-defection law.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta also issued notices on the plea filed by two AIADMK MLAs V T Kalaiselvan and E Rathinasabapathy.

Rathinanasabhapathy and Kalaiselvan, in a petition to the Supreme Court, had sought directions prohibiting the Speaker from acting without jurisdiction. They had also pointed out Dhanapal was facing a no-confidence motion against him. The third, Kallakurichi MLA A Prabhu, also submitted his reply to the Speaker. Welcoming the interim stay order, the rebel AIADMK MLAs said that it was a victory for justice. “We did nothing wrong against the AIADMK government and voted for the party during a no-confidence motion mooted by deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam when he rebelled against the present Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. While Paneerselvam was made deputy CM, the other rebels were made ministers. But, three MLAs who voted for the government are now targeted by the Speaker,” Rathinasabhapathy told reporters.

Speaking to DT Next, Prabhu said that the other two MLAs, in their petition, had submitted that Dhanapal’s actions in the last two years were biased and violated the dictum of law laid down under the principles of natural justice and Constitution. “The court has answered the plea of my colleagues and this will also apply to other AIADMK MLAs,” Prabhu said. Kalaiselvan said he had nothing to do with TTV Dhinakaran and AMMK, and he was facing problems for expressing his views.

Prabhu, Kalaiselvan (Vriddhachalam) and Rathinasabapathy (Aranthangi), were served notices on April 30, and asked to explain why they allegedly sided with AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran.