CHENNAI: The principal opposition party in the Assembly, AIADMK, on Friday expressed shock over speaker M Appavu’s delay in declaring the Thirukoyilur constituency represented by former minister K Ponmudy as vacant following a court verdict. The party urged the speaker to declare the constituency vacant without delay.
Former AIADMK ministers Thalavai N Sundaram and C Vijaya Baskar called on Assembly secretary K Srinivasan and submitted a letter from leader of the opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Talking to reporters at the secretariat, the former AIADMK ministers said, “When the speaker could declare the Vilavancode Assembly constituency held by former Congress MLA S Vijayadharani as vacant so quickly, he is delaying it with Thirukoyilur constituency. The Assembly secretary has assured us that the process for declaring the Thirukoyilur seat vacant is under way and it would be done soon.”
In his letter, Palaniswami said Ponmudy was convicted of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for having assets disproportionate to his known sources of income by the Madras High Court on December 21, 2023, and the Supreme Court has not stayed the order of conviction.
Palaniswami said as per the Representation of People Act, any person who has been convicted of an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 stands disqualified from being a member of the Assembly.
Though Section 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act, provides that such disqualification does not take effect till the appeal filed by the disqualified member is heard, the same has been declared illegal by the apex court in Lily Thomas vs. Union of India case.