Days after the rival AIADMK factions patched up, Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar announced on Tuesday that no action will be taken against the 21 MLAs from the opposition party who voted in favor of the TVK government during the May 13 floor test. The decision follows a formal request from AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) to drop the matter.
Addressing the media at the state secretariat, Prabhakar said that after considering the request, it was decided that the 21 AIADMK MLAs will not be disqualified.
To a question about the fate of four AIADMK MLAs who have resigned and joined the ruling TVK, Prabhakar said action has been initiated against the legislators. "Once a decision has been made, I will inform you officially", he added.
Following the speaker's decision, these legislators will continue as Assembly members without facing action under anti-defection laws.
During the crucial trust vote for the newly formed TVK government, 25 out of the AIADMK's 47 MLAs defied the party's diktat to vote against the C Joseph Vijay-led ruling dispensation.
The defiance created a severe crisis within the AIADMK, and a rebel group, led by former ministers S P Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam, was formed, which prompted EPS to approach the speaker for the disqualification of MLA posts.
Of the 25 legislators who supported TVK during the confidence motion, four MLAs — S Sathyabama, Esakki Subaya, S Jayakumar, and Maragatham Kumaravel have resigned and switched to TVK.
Subsequently, the speaker accepted the resignations of the four MLAs and notified the Election Commission of India (ECI). Their respective constituencies are now declared vacant by the ECI and will head to by-elections.
The two AIADMK factions had recently patched up. The AIADMK leadership later reversed its stance, formally communicating to the speaker that it wished to drop all proceedings against the rebel faction.
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