Chennai: The Madras high court has reserved orders on the petitions filed by 18 disqualified rebel AIADMK MLAs, challenging an order of the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, disqualifying them under anti-defection law.
The first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M.Sundar reserved orders on Tuesday after hearing marathon arguments from senior counsels Abhishek Singhvi and P.S.Raman and advocate Raja Senthoor Pandian for petitioners, Senior counsel Ariama Sundaram, appearing for the Speaker, senior counsel C.S.Vaidyanathan, appearing for Chief Minister Edapadi K.Palaniswami and senior counsel Mukul Rohatogi, appearing for the ruling party’s chief whip.
Originally, Justice K.Ravichandrabaabu had on November 2, pointing out that the petitions relating to assembly proceedings involves constitutional issues and powers of the Speaker in such issues, referred the matters to a larger bench. Accordingly, the first bench took up the case and heard the matter from November 16 onwards.
