CHENNAI: Assembly Speaker J C D Prabhakar has directed the four AIADMK MLAs, who defied the party whip and supported the TVK government during the confidence vote on May 13, to submit their explanations within a week in response to notices issued on the AIADMK’s petition seeking their disqualification.
It may be recalled that three AIADMK MLAs, on May 25, just after resigning their membership in the state Assembly, joined the TVK within a few hours. On May 26, another MLA also followed suit.
The speaker accepted their resignation as valid, as they were in proper format. However, the AIADMK objected to the acceptance of the resignations of these MLAs, calling the move hasty, given that disqualification petitions against the same MLAs was pending.
Meanwhile, AIADMK MLA Agri S S Krishnamurthy met the speaker on Friday, requesting that he give in writing his ruling giving up the disqualification proceedings against 21 AIADMK MLAs since the party leader had condoned their act of voting in favour of the TVK government.
Regarding the live telecast of the entire Assembly proceedings, the speaker said, “The proceedings which have been telecast live so far will continue. A decision on whether to live telecast the entire proceedings will be announced later.”
When it was pointed out that there were complaints during the DMK regime that the speeches of opposition leaders were blacked out from the live feed and whether this shortcoming would be set right in the forthcoming session, the speaker said, “This government will not stifle anyone’s voice in the House.” On expunction of unwanted remarks not being possible during a live telecast, he said, “Such issues are being considered.”
Prabhakar also announced that an orientation programme regarding the rules and conventions of the Tamil Nadu Assembly will be conducted for all MLAs for two days on June 16 and 17 at the Kalaivanar Arangam. The speaker requested all MLAs to attend this programme.
