Disqualification of 18 AIADMK MLAs: Verdict divided, status quo continues

The Madras High Court on Thursday gave a split verdict in the disqualification of 18 AIADMK MLAs for siding with TTV Dinakaran. The High Court judge upheld the disqualification but the second Judge opposed the move.

Now, the matter has been referred to a larger bench of the High Court. Since the Chief Justice has differed with companion judge, the third judge will be nominated by Justice Huluvadi G. Ramesh. Till he decides, no elections for 18 constituencies will be held and no floor test in the assembly.

Had the court quashed the disqualification of MLAs, the Palaniswami government would have been in trouble.

After the disqualification, 18 lawmakers supporting TTV Dinakaran, moved Madras High Court on September 18 challenging the Tamil Nadu Speaker P Dhanapal's order. The lawmakers were then disqualified under 1986 Tamil Nadu Assembly Members party defection law.

The move had effectively brought down the total strength of the assembly to 215 as against the original strength of 234. With Jayalalithaa's death, the number was reduced to 233.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar, which had on January 23 last reserved its orders on the petitions by the 18 MLAs challenging their disqualification by the assembly speaker under the anti-defection law, is likely to give the judgment in the afternoon, PTI quoted court sources as saying.

OneIndia News with PTI inputs