Disqualified MLAs' case adjourned

The Madras High Court on Wednesday adjourned the case filed by rebel AIADMK MLAs against their disqualification till October 9, and maintained that the floor test in the House should not be conducted until further orders.

The court was hearing a petition of 18 AIADMK MLAs from the T T V Dhinakaran camp, who were disqualified by Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal for withdrawing support to the Edappadi K Palaniswami government.

During the day-long hearing, the court also made it clear that elections should not be conducted in the 18 constituencies. Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the MLAs, argued that the legislators were only against the Palaniswami government and had not switched over to another party.

“The disqualification of the 18 MLAs is unconstitutional,” Singhvi said, adding that his clients have lost their political life because of the Speaker’s order. Senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, representing Dhanapal, asked the court to first hear the DMK’s plea, seeking a floor test in the House. To this, the court said it would hear the petition only after the MLAs’ disqualification case is over.

After hearing the arguments and following a request from Singhvi that he needed more time to complete his contentions, Justice K Ravichandra Babu posted the case to Monday.