Madras High Court extends stay on Assembly floor test till decision on Dinakaran camp petition

While hearing the case on the disqualification of 18 MLAs, belonging to the Dinakaran group, justice Doraiswamy said that there shall be no floor test in the Assembly till the legal case is disposed.

The court has set next date of hearing on the MLAs' disqualification case on October 4.

With the reduced number of seats after 18 MLAs were disqualified, the EPS-OPS faction could have easily proven its majority in the Assembly. However, with a stay on the floor test, the situation seems tricky for the Palaniswami Government.

The 18 disqualified MLAs from Dinakaran's camp of the AIADMK moved the High Court on Tuesday and the court agreed to hear their plea.

Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal had  disqualified the legislators under the Anti-Defection Act for withdrawing their support to the EPS government.

The group of 18 MLAs announced withdrawal of support to the E Palaniswami Government after the EPS-OPS camps buried hatchets and took control of the organisation by ousting V Sasikala and sidelining her nephew TTV Dinakaran.

Claiming that the Government now stands in the minority, the Dinakaran camp demanded a floor test in the House.

However, in a prompt move the Speaker disqualified  all these 18 MLAs  before any trust vote takes place.

If the court quashes the disqualification and the floor test takes place in the TN assembly, the Palaniswamy government could certainly fall short of the majority without the support of the rebel MLAs, according to reports.

The power struggle in the party began after Jayalalitha's death as VK Sasikala, who is presently in jail for an assets disproportionate case, tried to become the state's CM.