Tamil Nadu Assembly adjourned, trust vote halted by ruckus

The Speaker walked out of the House as DMK lawmakers resorted to violence breaking chairs and tearing papers. They were demanding secret ballot.

The floor test to prove the majority of the E Palaniswamy Government was underway in the Tamil Nadu Assembly when the ruckus broke out after  the Speaker denied request for secret ballot voting, reports said.

M K Stalin, Leader of the Opposition DMK and members of AIADMK's Paneersselvam camp demanded that there should be arrangements for secret ballots and until that is done the trust vote should be put on hold.

"The floor-test should be done on another day. Why the hurry when the Governor has given 15 days time?" Stalin was quoted in media saying, adding  "Democracy will be fullfilled, only when secret ballot voting is done."

Stalin also alleged that legislators were brought to House like prisoners.

However, Speaker P Dhanapal refused to accept the demand, ordering a division vote will be held in six segments.

This irked the Opposition members and they kicked up a persistent uproar as the voting was in progress.

The result of the voting will be decided on head count of 230 members present.

Palaniswamy needs to prove the support of at least 117 legislators in the 234-member state assembly.

Media reports said if six lawmakers choose to cross vote, he would lose. 

Members of the rival faction, led by O Paneerselvam, had met Speaker P Dhanapal on Friday.

The Paneerselvam group  had ten MLAs on their side.

Sasikala-loyalist Palaniswamy, who took oath as Chief Minister along with 30 other members of his ministerial council, was asked by, Governor C Vidyasagar Rao to prove his majority through a confidence vote on the floor of the House.