The final hearing in the Tamil Nadu MLA disqualification case involving four legislators who moved from the AIADMK to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has concluded, leaving Speaker Prabhakar to issue a decision after considering submissions from both sides.
The legislators named in the proceedings are Maragatham Kumaravel of Madurantakam, Sathyabama of Dharapuram, Jayakumar of Perundurai and Isakki Subbiah of Ambasamudram. According to Dinamalar, all four had contested and won the recent Assembly election as AIADMK candidates before leaving the party and joining the TVK days after taking oath.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s side had submitted a petition to the Speaker seeking their disqualification. The Madras High Court had directed the Speaker to conduct an inquiry and announce a decision within two months. In accordance with that order, the Speaker held proceedings in his chamber at the Secretariat, with the final hearing taking place recently.
AIADMK representatives, including legislators Agri Krishnamurthy and Thalavai Sundaram and former legislator Inbathurai, appeared during the hearing. TVK was represented by advocate Suriyaprakasam. The Speaker questioned both sides for more than an hour before concluding the proceedings.
Suriyaprakasam argued that Palaniswami had not appeared personally before the Speaker or submitted the documents in his possession. He told reporters that Agri Krishnamurthy could not provide evidence on Palaniswami’s behalf and urged the Speaker to dismiss the petition because the AIADMK general secretary had not appeared directly. The TVK side also maintained that the final hearing had ended and that the Speaker would now deliver the ruling.
AIADMK representatives rejected that position. Krishnamurthy and Thalavai Sundaram said they had clearly explained why the four legislators should be disqualified and expressed confidence that the Speaker would take action against those who had changed parties. They argued that Palaniswami’s personal appearance was not necessary because the party whip had appeared on his behalf.
The AIADMK representatives further said that all party legislators had unanimously elected Palaniswami as the Assembly group leader and that he had appointed the whip and other functionaries. On that basis, they said, the party had been represented during the proceedings through its authorised representatives.
The proceedings have acquired an additional political dimension because Kumaravel and Sathyabama subsequently contested and won recent by-elections as TVK candidates, according to the report. However, the source does not report any final order from the Speaker. The next formal development will be the Speaker’s decision on the disqualification petitions.
