DMK MLAs move Madras HC against another privilege notice

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President MK Stalin on Saturday said that the party legislators issued another privilege notice have moved the Madras High Court.

In a statement issued here, Stalin alleged that the privilege notice was issued again to some lawmakers for bringing a banned tobacco product to the Assembly three years ago in order to prevent them from attending the House and raising various issues.

According to Stalin, the Tamil Nadu Assembly Secretary issued the notice that the Privileges Committee met on September 7, 2020 and discussed the issue that happened in the House on July 19, 2017.

Stalin said that the court had on August 25, 2020 set aside the privilege notice issued to some DMK lawmakers on the issue.

During an Assembly session in 2017, Stalin and 20 other DMK MLAs had brought 'gutkha' packets to stress that the banned tobacco product was freely available in the markets.

But a breach of privilege issue was raised against these DMK members and a notice issued to them. The DMK lawmakers then filed a case in the High Court against the notice.

Setting aside the privilege notice, the court said that the Privileges Committee can issue another notice if it still considers the act of DMK lawmakers a breach of privilege.