AIADMK crisis: Madras HC to decide on the fate of Tamil Nadu government

The court will hear multiple pleas over floor test, disqualification of AIADMK rebel MLAs on Wednesday

All eyes are set on the Madras High Court that is likely to decide on the fate of Edappadi Palanisamy government in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. A host of petitions including those demanding a floor test as well as those challenging the disqualification of 18 AIADMK MLAs will be taken up for hearing.

Justice Duraisamy of the Madras High Court will hear the plea against the disqualification of rebel MLAs of the AIADMK as well as the pleas seeking floor test in Tamilnadu by the DMK. The plea by MLAs will be heard first. The hearing is expected to commence at noon.

Tamil Nadu assembly speaker P Dhanapal, who was himself disqualified as an MLA, on Monday disqualified 18 legislators from the ruling party's faction led by T T V Dinakaran. The rebel MLAs were disqualified citing anti-defection rules under Schedule 10 of the Constitution. A gazette notification declared their assembly constituencies vacant. The DMK, on Wednesday, passed a resolution condemning the disqualification of the rebel MLAs.

The Madras High Court, while passing interim orders on a plea by the DMK, had said that no floor test can be conducted in the Tamil Nadu assembly till Wednesday i.e., September 20. The Governor of Tamil Nadu will also be represented at the High Court today and he is likely to tell the court that it cannot force him to order a floor test. Governor Vidhyasagar Rao returned to Chennai on Tuesday after holding meetings with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and President Ramnath Kovind.

OneIndia News