The Madras high court on Wednesday extended the stay on a floor test in the Tamil Nadu assembly till a petition challenging the disqualification of 18 MLAs was disposed of. Though the court refused to rescind the disqualification of the 18 legislators, its stay on the trust vote and by-elections for the vacancies is being seen as a boost to the rebel camp led by sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran.
Eight of the 18 MLAs had moved the court on Monday, challenging the action against them under the anti-defection law. The dissident MLAs had challenged the Speaker’s order as ‘unauthorised’ and ‘illegal’ in their individual petitions. Dinakaran had said the Speaker move was aimed at favouring chief minister E Palaniswami.

The Madras high court on Wednesday extended the stay on a floor test in the Tamil Nadu assembly till a petition challenging the disqualification of 18 MLAs was disposed of. Though the court refused to rescind the disqualification of the 18 legislators, its stay on the trust vote and by-elections for the vacancies is being seen as a boost to the rebel camp led by sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran.
Eight of the 18 MLAs had moved the court on Monday, challenging the action against them under the anti-defection law. The dissident MLAs had challenged the Speaker’s order as ‘unauthorised’ and ‘illegal’ in their individual petitions. Dinakaran had said the Speaker move was aimed at favouring chief minister E Palaniswami.