Suspended DMDK members' names in electoral roll for RS poll

The names of six suspended DMDK MLAs have been included in the voters list for the June 27 Rajya Sabha biennial elections from Tamil Nadu, indicating that they are eligible to vote in the hotly contested polls.

The electoral roll released by the Returning Officer and Assembly Secretary A M P Jamaludeen on June 6 includes the names of V C Chandhira Kumar, P Parthasarthi, T Murugesan, K Nallathambi, S Senthilkumar and R Arulselvam.

However, the MLAs, apprehending that the suspension might be cited to deny them voting rights, had moved the Madras High Court challenging their suspension and seeking an interim direction to allow them to vote in the polls.

The court had ordered issue of notice to the Assembly Secretary on their petition, returnable on June 24.

The six MLAs were suspended for a year by Speaker P Dhanapal after they allegedly assaulted Michael Rayappan, DMDK MLA from Radhapuram, in the Assembly on February 8. It was later reduced to six months.

In their plea in the High Court, the petitioners contended that though they have the voting rights in the Rajya Sabha polls, the Speaker's order suspending them would not enable them to vote on June 27.

The bench yesterday adjourned to July 3 the main prayer of revoking the MLAs' suspension.