AIADMK as it happened: Setback for EPS-OPS camp as Madras HC stays order on Tamil Nadu floor test, case adjourned till 4 Oct

Watch: Floor test in Tamil Nadu Assembly stalled until further orders

#BREAKING – Crucial order of judge stalls floor test in Tamil Nadu. pic.twitter.com/cd2heHe4Nc

— News18 (@CNNnews18) September 20, 2017

Governor has failed and can go to Mumbai: DMK MLA

Sad that functions of Governor is being performed by the Court. Governor has failed & he can go back to Mumbai: J Anbazhagan, DMK MLA pic.twitter.com/bbVYC5A1AN

— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2017

Chief minister and Speaker collaborating to disrupt confidence motion: DMK lawyer
 

After our submission that CM & speaker collaborating to disrupt confidence motion, Court ruled no floor test till further orders: DMK Lawyer pic.twitter.com/KLPlxyLBIS

— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2017

Palaniswamy govt could have won the floor test after disqualification of TTV MLAs

The Tamil Nadu government led by Palaniswamy could have won the floor test after the disqualification of the 18 MLAs. With the stay on the floor test, the situation has become difficult for them.

Madras HC adjourns case till 4 October

Madras HC directs no election notification to seats of 18 disqualified MLAs. No stay on the disqualification. Case adjourned to 4 October .

— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2017

No floor test till case is disposed off: Judge Duraiswamy

In a huge blow to the Palaniswamy camp, which would have had the majority after the disqualification, Judge Duraiswamy said that no floor test will happen till the case is disposed off.

Confidence motion should not be held until case is over: DMK
 

#UPDATE - DMK argues that confidence motion must not be held until the case is disposed of pic.twitter.com/BCecWLz9q2

— News18 (@CNNnews18) September 20, 2017

Governor delaying decision on purpose: DMK lawyer

CNN-News18 reported that Opposition DMK’s lawyer Kabil Sibal said that Tamil Nadu governor is delaying the decision on purpose.

No floor test until counters are filed: Speaker’s lawyer

There will not be floor tests for next days until counters are filed: Aryama Sundaram, lawyer of Tamil Nadu Speaker P Dhanapal

— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2017

Speaker refused to show documents regarding disqualification: Dhinakaran camp

News18 reported that TTV Dhinakaran camp said that they had asked the Speaker for the documents regarding the disqualification of the 18 MLAs but the Speaker replied that it was not necessary to show the documents.

Speaker depriving the rights of MLAs: Dhinakaran’s lawyer

Why no committee was constituted according to laws of Assembly to enquire MLAs. Speaker is influenced by somebody: TV Dhinakaran's lawyer

— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2017

MLAs didn't vote against party or resigned. So why the question of anti defection? Speaker depriving right of MLAs: TTV Dhinakaran's lawyer

— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2017

AIADMK leader claims Palaniswamy camp working at behest of Modi

AIADMK leader Apsara Reddy, while talking to CNN-News18, said that the Palaniswamy camp is working at the behest of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

A look at the AIADMK numbers after the disqualification

The disqualification clearly gives the Tamil Nadu government an advantage in the Assembly. With the disqualification, the total strength of the AIADMK in the Assembly has come down to 116.

Of the total 234 legislators, the number is now 231 excluding Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi and the Speaker. With 18 MLAs disqualified, the total number of seats in the House comes down to 213 and thus the halfway mark is 106. The merged faction of AIADMK has the support of 114 MLAs which is more than the required numbers to form the majority.

Anti-defection being misused by Tamil Nadu speaker: Dhinakaran’s lawyer

Anti-defection law being misused by speaker: TTV Dinakaran's lawyer Dushyant Dave in Madras HC on disqualification of 18 MLAs from Assembly

— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2017

After disqualification, floor test should not happen: Dhinakaran camp

The Dhinakaran camp is reportedly saying that a floor test should not take place after the MLAs have been disqualified. Opposition DMK has been demanding a floor test for the Palaniswamy government.

Tamil Nadu in the dock as politicians stay busy with headcount

The consensus is that even if the government wins the trust vote in a truncated House, it would have lost the moral compass to rule. Though again it is not as if the party in power and its backers outside the borders of Tamil Nadu care for the morality aspect or public sentiment beyond a point.

Read the entire article here

Tamil Nadu politics is a tragi-comedy: P Chidambaram

18 MLAs disqualified to
manufacture a majority for paralysed TN Govt. TN is theatre of the absurd.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 19, 2017

Governor requested to act. He did not! Speaker requested to observe restraint. He acted! TN politics is tragi-comedy

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 19, 2017

Aryama Sundaram, representing the Speaker, begins argument

Aryama Sundaram asked, “Can the counsel accuse the Centre?” This comes after Dhinakran’s lawyer Dushyant Dave said that a few people in Delhi are deciding on what should happen in Tamil Nadu.

Dhinakaran lawyer Dushyant Dave ends argument

News18 reported that Dushyant Dave ended his argument, saying enough time was not given to the MLAs to explain their position. “In three weeks time, everything was hurried and the the MLAs were disqualified,” he added.

Opposition DMK to hold crucial meeting

DMK working president MK Stalin will hold a crucial meeting as soon as the high court hearing ends.

Image source: PTI

Dhinakaran lawyer says MLAs only wanted to change the chief minister

While reading a letter which was given to the governor, Dhinakaran camp lawyer said that the disqualified MLAs’ demand was only to change the chief minister. “They did not switch party, so anti defection law grounds are not strong,” he added.

Disqualified MLAs opposed Palaniswamy: Dhinakaran lawyer

#UPDATE - MLAs didn't oppose the government, they opposed EPS because he is corrupt: TTV Dinakaran's argument

— News18 (@CNNnews18) September 20, 2017

Disqualified MLAs only opposed the ‘corrupt’ chief minister: Dhinakaran lawyer

Lawyers representing the Dhinakaran camp said that the MLAs did not oppose the government but only Chief Minister Palaniswamy because he is “corrupt”. The lawyer further said that the MLAs wanted a change in the leadership, News18 reported.

Disqualification of MLAs against natural justice: Dushyant Dave

While arguing for the Dhinakaran MLAs, Dushyant Dave said that their disqualification is against natural justice, News18 reported.

Dushyant Dave, representing rebel MLAs, begins arguments

Dushyant Dave, who is representing the TTV Dhinakaran MLAs, began his argument at the Madras High Court. Dushyant Dave and Salman Khurshid are representing the rebel MLAs.

Three independent MLAs demand cabinet berths: Report

CNN-News18 quoted some sources as saying that three independent MLAs are demanding cabinet berths. Ansari, Karunas and Thani Arasu have demanded berths in the Palaniswamy government.

Here’s a list of the lawyers representing the major parties in the case

Mukul Rohatgi to appear for Tamil Nadu govt

Aryama Sundaram representing the speaker

Salman Khurshid for TTV Dhinakaran MLAs

Hearing begins at Madras High Court

Ten rebel MLAs file fresh plea in court

#NewsAlert - Tamil Nadu MLA Case: 10 more rebel MLAs file fresh pleas in Madras High Court. Their pleas are being clubbed pic.twitter.com/qXO4nkpeiO

— News18 (@CNNnews18) September 20, 2017

DMK MLA meet begins

Madras HC holds the key political crisis in state

A lot depends on the Madras High Court, which will hear a plea on the disqualification of rebel AIADMK MLAs. If the High Court upholds the disqualification, then 18 bypolls will have to take place within the next six months to replace those MLAs.

MK Stalin to chair a meeting of DMK legislators at 5pm today to decide future course of actions

No resignations planned, says DMK

However, speaking to CNN News18, DMK spokesperson A Saravanan said that no mass resignation was in order. “The move would only help the EPS-OPS faction, we can only appeal against the disqualification,” he said.

Chidambaram attacks TN Speaker for disqualifying 18 MLAs

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Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Tuesday attacked Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal’s decision to disqualify 18 rebel AIADMK MLAs as “blatantly partisan” to help the minority government and said the state has become a “theatre of the absurd”.

Great betrayal: TN Govt should go on the sole ground it callously delayed moving SC for additional 19% seats for OBC.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 19, 2017

Speaker's decision to disqualify MLAs blatantly partisan and to help minority TN Govt. Nothing can save sinking ship.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 19, 2017

18 MLAs disqualified to
manufacture a majority for paralysed TN Govt. TN is theatre of the absurd.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 19, 2017

Dhinakaran camp MLAs file plea in Madras HC against their disqualification

18 disqualified MLAs ( backing #TTVDhinakaran) had filed a plea challenging their disqualification by TN Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal.

— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2017

Palaniswamy asserts none can topple his govt

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today asserted that his government could not be toppled, though some forces harbored such hopes.

“Some think the government can be toppled. That is never possible as workers and supporters have put in their hard work for its formation,” he said in a veiled attack on sidelined party leader TTV Dhinkaran who is seeking his ouster.

BJP shouldn’t close it’s eyes to ‘murder of democracy’ in TN: Dhinakaran

Dhinakaran described as “murder of democracy” Speaker P Dhanapal disqualifying the 18 legislators owing allegiance to him and said he did not expect such an action from the former. The Dhinakaran faction, besides Opposition including DMK, have been since urging Rao to direct a floor test of the Palaniswami government.

He also said the BJP-led central government “should not close its eyes to this murder”.

Congress questions delay in disqualification of 18 TN MLAs

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The Congress today questioned the “huge delay” by the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker and the Governor in disqualifying 18 AIADMK lawmakers under the antii-defection law, saying the decision is liable to be challenged in court.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said every polical party was monitoring the decision, but he adopted a cautious approach by saying that his party was not obliged to comment n another party

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TTV Dhinakaran alleges vendetta by EPS-OPS

State police were sent to Coorg in Karnataka to hound my MLAs, says TTV Dinakaran, in an apparent reference to the EPS government in Tamil Nadu. 

Moneycontrol.com

Resignation of 100 MLAs may force new elections

Sources have told News18 that about 100 opposition MLAs may put in their papers, a move which is also being viewed as an attempt to put pressure on the governor to dissolve the state assembly and call for fresh polls.

Dhinakaran camp cries foul, says they will take legal action

Legally we are very sound and we will get justice from the Court: #TTVDhinakaran over disqualification of 18 MLAs by TN Speaker pic.twitter.com/kQllPvTKoG

— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2017

DMK decision on mass resignations today

Souces told CNN News18 that the final decision on the DMK’s next move will be taken after party meeting at 5pm on Tuesday. 

News18