Chennai: Madras high court has posted to November 2, further hearing of the petit-ions filed by 18 disqualified MLAs, challenging the order of the state legislative Assembly Speaker.
When the case came up for hearing before Justice K. Ravichandrabaabu, the disqualified MLAs P. Vetrivel and others filed an additional affidavit denying the averments made in the counter affidavit filed by the Assembly secretary on behalf of the state legislative assembly speaker.
Objecting to the same, senior counsel C.S. Vaidyanathan, appearing for chief minister Edappadi K.Palaniswami sought time to file reply. Directing both parties to serve rejoinders and replies by October 23, the judge posted to November 2, further hearing of case.
In his rejoinder, Vetrivel submitted that it was nowhere stated in the counter affidavit that the Assembly speaker has authorized the Assembly secretary to file affidavit on his behalf.
In cases where the allegations of malafide, bias and partisanship have been levelled against a person, the same person was bound to reply and not through a third person and in absence of such denial, same was stands deemed admitted.
Referring to the averment that the leader of opposition M.K. Stalin immediately paid a visit to the governor, he said the representation was given by him on August 22 and leader of opposition met the governor for the first time only on Sept. 9.
Similarly, the averment that he did not meet party leaders to agitate his grievance was denied by him in his interim replies and to prove such meetings with the chief minister, he had asked the speaker an opportunity to cross examine chief government whip and the chief minister on this point but the said opportunity was denied to him in the impugned order.
