DMK Moves Madras High Court, Asks to Nullify Saturday’s Trust Vote

On Monday, DMK—the main opposition party of Tamilnadu—moved the Madras High Court and requested the court to consider nullifying the trust vote that took place in Tamil Nadu Assembly on Saturday.

The newly elected CM of the state E Palaniswami had won the trust vote in the Assembly on Saturday.

On Sunday, former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, met Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and urged him not to recognize the TN Assembly resolution.

Former state minister K. Pandiarajan, who was part of the Panneerselvam delegation, said: “We requested the Governor not to recognize Saturday’s Assembly resolution and announce fresh date for taking up the vote of confidence.”

Pandiarajan said they informed governor about the violence that happened in the Assembly and stated that the voting took place after 100 members were “unconstitutionally and forcibly” evicted from the Assembly.

“We submitted documentary proof. The Governor gave a patient hearing. We hope he would take steps to prevent the murder of democracy,” Mr. Pandiarajan added.

“Dharma Yudham has begun. Now, the action will shift to the constituencies where the people will strongly convey their feelings to the legislators who had voted for Mr. Edappadi K. Palaniswami,” he said.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) working president M K Stalin also met the governor C Vidayasagar Rao and urged him to nullify the proceedings in the assembly on Saturday.

Stalin requested the governor to invoke his constitutional powers “to nullify the entire proceedings with a view to protect the spirit of democracy and the constitution”.

“The speaker ordered expulsion of all the members of the DMK, without following the procedure laid down. The police entered the house presumably on instructions given in advance by the Speaker,” Stalin told Rao.

“The police and the assembly guards forcibly evicted us from the house and in this process, many of us sustained injuries. The other opposition parties staged a walk-out, strongly protesting against the action of the speaker.”