TTV Dhinakaran group MLAs seek disqualification of O Paneerselvam, 6 others
Chennai: Four rebel MLAs from T.T.V. Dhinakaran group has approached the Madras high court to direct the Assembly Speaker to disqualify Deputy Chief Minister O. Paneerselvam and six other MLAs for voting against Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami in the confidence motion in the assembly on February 18.
The first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar before whom the petitions filed by Vetrivel, Rangasamy, Parthiban and Thanga Thamizhselvam came up for hearing, ordered notice to the Assembly Speaker and Chief Government whip and posted to November 16, further hearing of the case.
In their petitions, they submitted that 11 MLAs belonging to the then O. Pannerselvam faction had voted against the Chief Minister in the confidence motion moved by the Chief Minister on February 18. They already gave representation to the Speaker, seeking to disqualify the MLAs, who voted against the Chief Minister. But no action was taken by the Speaker. However, immediate action was taken against 18 MLAs including the petitioners, belonging to T.T.V. Dinakaran faction and disqualified them after they gave a letter to the Governor stating that they do not have confidence on the Chief Minister, they added.
They said voting contrary to the direction of chief government whip attracted disqualification of MLAs Semmalai, Chinnaraj, Manoharan, Manoranjitham, K. Pandiarajan, Nataraj and O. Panneeselvam under the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on ground of defection) Rules and as per Para 2 (1) (b) of the X schedule of Constitution.
