Justice M Sathyanarayanan of the Madras High Court on Thursday, 25 October, upheld the Tamil Nadu speaker’s decision to disqualify the 18 AIADMK MLAs. They were disqualified in September 2017, under the anti-defection law.
The 18 AIADMK MLAs, who were disqualified on 18 September 2017 under the anti-defection law after they met the Governor and expressed loss of confidence in Chief Minister K Palaniswami, will now knock the doors of the Supreme Court after the Madras High Court uphheld their disqualification on Thursday, 25 October.
- The strength of the Tamil Nadu Assembly is 234 members
- The AIDMK government has a wafer-thin majority of 116 out of 234 MLAs
- The DMK and its allies have 97 MLAs, one short of the Thiruvarur constituency that fell vacant after former CM M Karunanidhi’s death in August this year
- The disqualified MLAs are loyal to TTV Dhinakaran, who has now formed his own party - the AMMK
- The 18 AIADMK MLAs will be appealing against the Madras HC verdict which had upheld their disqualification
18 Disqualified MLAs to Move SC against Madras HC Verdict
A day after the Madras High Court upheld their disqualification, the 18 MLAs who were disqualified on Thursday, 25 October, will move the Supreme Court against the HC verdict, said Thanga Tamilselvan, one of the disqualified MLAs.
Bypolls Need to be Held in Six Months: Chief Election Commissioner
Chief Election Commissioner, OP Rawat, speaking to ANI, said “since disqualifications will create vacancies and whenever there are vacancies, we're required to hold elections (bypolls) to those vacancies within 6 months, so the Commission will see it from that angle.”
Democracy Must be Safeguarded: MK Stalin
DMK Chief MK Stalin reacted to the Madras HC verdict by stating that “democracy must be safeguarded.”
“Already two assembly constituencies are vacant, now with Madras HC verdict, 18 seats have fallen vacant. Therefore, EC should take steps immediately to fill them,” Stalin said.
TN CM Palaniswami Welcomes HC Verdict
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami welcomed the Madras HC verdict, adding that the ‘Amma’s government’ will emerge stronger after the bypolls.
I welcome the HC verdict. Even if bypolls are announced for the 18 assembly seats, Amma’s government will win all of them, rest of the things the EC has to decide.E Palaniswami, Tamil Nadu CM