Seeking DMK’s resolution TN Assembly may take up Speaker's removal on July

Chennai, June 24: Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal Monday indicated that the DMK's resolution seeking his removal might be taken up on July 1 during the ensuing session of the House. The opposition party had moved the resolution on April 30 against the Speaker, after he served notices to three pro-Dhinakaran AIADMK MLAs for alleged anti-party activities earlier that day.

On Monday, Dhanapal chaired a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee that discussed among others the duration of the session that gets underway from June 28. On DMK's resolution against him, the Speaker said according to the House rules it should be taken up on July 1. "The agenda (in this connection) will be released on July 1," he said without elaborating.

Though the session will start on Friday, June 28, the House is expected to adjourn after paying obituary reference to DMK MLA K Rathamani of Vikravandi Assembly constituency, who died a fortnight ago.

The M K Stalin-led opposition party had moved against the Speaker after he served notices to three AIADMK MLAs siding with rival leader and AMMK founder TTV Dhinakaran, for alleged anti-party activities. The DMK had slammed the Speaker for issuing notices to them and had submitted a resolution seeking his removal from the post with Assembly Secretary K Srinivasan the same day.

The resolution was submitted as per Article 179 (c) of the Constitution and Tamil Nadu Assembly Rule 68 both of which govern the procedure for removal of Speaker. Dhanapal further said the session will be held from June 28 to July 30, for 23 working days, where debates on grants for various departments will be held.

Various bills will also be taken up, he added. The session will be the first after the two-phase bypolls to 22 Assembly seats held in April and May where both AIADMK and DMK bettered their tally. The ruling AIADMK won nine 22 seats, taking its tally to 123, including the Speaker. The DMK has 101 members after it romped home in 13 segments. However, its strength has now reduced to 100, following the demise of Rathamani last week.

Congress legislator H Vasantha Kumar has resigned following his election to the Lok Sabha, resulting in the party's strength coming down to seven from eight.