Stay on Floor Test extended till October 4

Justice M Duriaswamy, before whom the heated arguments prevailed on Wednesday, passed the order with the consent of the senior counsels appearing on either side.

He said, “There shall not be any election notification for conducting the election for the 18 Legislative Assembly Constituencies pursuant to the impugned order dated September 18, 2017, which are the subject matter in the writ petitions until further orders of this court.” The judge also held, “The respondents shall not conduct floor test for the trust vote until further orders of this court.”

Also, on recording the submission from the senior counsel that all the writ petitions may be taken up for final hearing on October 4, Justice Duraiswamy directed the registry to list all the writ petitions for final hearing on that day.

The common order had come about on a batch of petitions filed by the disqualified MLAs challenging their disqualification as well as that of DMK Working President M K Stalin seeking a direction to the Governor to hold the floor test.

Earlier, Senior Counsel Dushyant Dave, appearing for the disqualified MLAs, contended that on August 12, a group of 12 MLAs, including OPS, voted against the present CM but no notice was issued by the Speaker on that issue till date despite a whip.

Pointing out that there was no question of the 18 MLAs voluntarily leaving the party and hence did not attract disqualification, he submitted that the intent of the Speaker in disqualifying the 18 MLAs was mala fide, with the floor test in mind.

He also noted that the order was against the federal structure and someone from Delhi was instructing the course of action.

Senior counsel Ariyama Sundaram, appearing for the Speaker, strongly objected to this and maintained that the disqualification was as per law.

Kapil Sibal, appearing for DMK, said there should be no floor test till the court decides on its petition seeking a trial of strength and the disqualification of MLAs.

TIRUCHY: Taking a jibe at Chief Minister Edappadi Palanswami taking a holy dip at the Pushkaram festival in Mayiladuthurai on Wednesday, sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran said, “In whichever river he takes a bath, even if at Rameswaram (sea) or Kasi (Varanasi), his betrayal of 1.5 crore party workers and its General Secretary (V K Sasikala) will not go away,” “Only the purity of the river will be affected,” he quipped. On MLAs supporting him moving court gainst their disqualification, Dinakaran said, “Palaniswami and Co have forgotten that court exists” and exuded confidence that “we will get justice.”