The Madras High court permitted plea of 18 disqualified MLAs, supporting TTV Dhinakaran, for immediate hearing on Wednesday. Tamil Nadu assembly speaker, P Dhanapal had disqualified the MLAs for withdrawing their support to chief minister, Edappadi K Palanisamy on Monday.
The MLAs faced action for going against the line of the ruling AIADMK. Thus, they had filed a plea challenging their disqualification.
The Speaker’s decision reduced the strength of the 234-member assembly to 214. Besides, the magic number for a majority also came down to 108 from 118. This might enable the Edappadi K Palanisamy government to prove its majority on the floor of the House.
During the last count on 5 September, the chief minister’s camp had the support of 114 MLAs. While 111 of them turned up at a meeting, three others registered their presence over the phone. The Tamil Nadu assembly has 19 seats vacant now.
As per a directive of the Madras high court, a floor test cannot take place till Wednesday.
