The AIADMK has approached the Madras High Court opposing the conduct of by-elections in four Assembly constituencies where its MLAs resigned and later joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The party also questioned the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker’s decision to accept the resignations while disqualification proceedings were pending.
The developments follow a trust vote held in the Assembly on May 13 to prove the majority of the TVK government led by Chief Minister Vijay. During the vote, 25 AIADMK MLAs, led by former minister C.V. Shanmugam, supported the TVK government, prompting AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami to seek action under the anti-defection law.
Subsequently, AIADMK MLAs Maragatham Kumaravel (Madurantakam), Jayakumar (Perundurai), Sathyabama (Dharapuram) and Isakki Subbiah (Ambasamudram) resigned their seats and joined the TVK. The Speaker accepted their resignation letters even as disqualification-related steps were underway.
When the matter came up again before a bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan, senior counsel S.R. Rajagopal, appearing for AIADMK whip ‘Agri’ Krishnamoorthy, argued that the resignations were not sudden and that constitutional provisions had been violated. He sought cancellation of the order accepting the resignations and requested that a related petition seeking a ban on announcing by-elections in the four seats be heard together.
Advocate General Vijay Narayan, appearing for the state, said action against the 25 MLAs was dropped after Palaniswami submitted a letter accepting the apologies of 21 of them. He added that the four MLAs had resigned voluntarily, and that notices had still been issued to them seeking explanations in connection with disqualification proceedings, after which the Speaker would pass orders as per Assembly rules. The court adjourned the hearing to June 17.
