Madras HC Upholds Speaker’s Ruling on 21 AIADMK MLAs
The judges noted that the political party condoned the act of the members who continue to represent the AIADMK.
Chennai: Madras High Court has upheld Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar’s ruling of disqualification proceedings against 21 AIADMK MLAs since the AIADMK party itself had condoned the violation.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan rejected a petition filed by an advocate P.V. Selvakumar who said the disqualification petition would be alive even if the AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami sent a letter to the Speaker condoning the action of the 21 MLAs. The 21 MLAs voted in favour of the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) government violating the whip issued by the AIADMK.
The judges noted that the political party condoned the act of the members who continue to represent the AIADMK. The disqualification sought under the tenth schedule would not apply, the court ruled. The judges also said the petitioner is a third party who is not connected with the affairs of the AIADMK and he did not have the locus standi to interfere in the internal affairs of the party.
