House panels: DMK’s ultimatum to Speaker

A delegation of DMK MLAs, led by leader of opposition M K Stalin, on Thursday petitioned Assembly Secretary in this regard. 

“The Constitution provides for formation of various committees to facilitate smooth functioning of the House. Five months have passed by since the AIADMK assumed office, but there are no indications of the committees being constituted. We raised the issue in the Assembly earlier. The Speaker assured in the House then that all the committees would be set up soon. His assurance is there on Assembly records, but till date no committee has been formed,” Stalin told reporters at the Secretariat, where he along with party senior Duraimurugan and few other MLAs petitioned the Assembly secretary owing to the speaker’s absence. 

“If the committees are not constituted soon, we will move no confidence motion against the Speaker. We hope the Speaker will not allow the issue to go to that extent,” Stalin said, adding that they would also approach the Governor if the Assembly chair refuses to heed their demand. 

The DMK MLAs also submitted a copy of the resolutions they had adopted in Tuesday’s all-party meeting to the office of state Finance Minister O Panneerselvam, again due to the minister’s absence. The all-party meet had resolved to urge the ruling AIADMK to convene a special Assembly session and lead an all-party delegation to Delhi to exert pressure on the Narendra Modi regime and get the Cauvery Management Board constituted. Another resolution had also asked the state to distribute Rs 30,000 per acre compensation to farmers for kuruvai and samba crop loss.