Chennai, Sep 25 : Days after Tamil Nadu Speaker P. Dhanapal disqualified 18 AIADMK legislators, the opposition DMK filed a petition in the Madras High Court to direct the Speaker to initiate disqualification process against 11 more legislators of the ruling party, including Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam.
The 11 AIADMK legislators had voted against the motion of confidence moved by Chief Minister K. Palaniswami after he was sworn in February 2017.
According to petitioner R. Sakkarapani, DMK Whip, the Speaker has not taken any action against the 11 AIADMK lawmakers who voted against the government.
Dhanapal had disqualified 18 AIADMK legislators for submitting a letter to Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao to start the process of appointing a new Chief Minister in place of incumbent Palaniswami.
The 18 legislators were part of the faction led by AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala and her nephew T.T.V. Dinakaran.
Speaking to reporters here, DMK Working President M.K. Stalin said the party has gone to the court against the Speaker for "murdering democracy".
