AIADMK MLAs’ resignation accepted only after inquiry, speaker tells HC

Chennai: The resignation letters of six AIADMK MLAs were accepted only after conducting an inquiry to ascertain whether they had resigned voluntarily, Tamil Nadu Assembly speaker J C D Prabhakar has informed Madras high court.

“The MLAs submitted resignation letters written in their own handwriting. I conducted inquiries with each of them. I accepted the letters only after satisfying myself that the resignations were made of their own free will, the speaker said through his counter affidavit filed in response to a plea moved by AIADMK whip Afri S S Krishnakurthy challenging the speaker’s decision.

He contended that the acceptance of the resignations was legally valid. He sought appropriate orders to dismiss the petitions challenging his decision.

Recording the submissions, the first bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, adjourned the hearing to Sept 1.

According to the petitioner, the speaker has chosen not to appear before the court even after he was issued a notice. Instead, the Assembly secretary filed a counter-affidavit stating that she was authorized to do so on behalf of the speaker.

Claiming that the resignations were accepted at ‘lightning speed’, the petitioner said the speaker had completely ignored his constitutional duty of holding an inquiry before accepting the resignations, as he was in possession of information that the MLAs had violated the party whip.