The Madras High Court on Wednesday dismissed the writ petition filed by six MLAs from DMDK challenging their suspension from the Assembly for six months. Dismissing the petition filed by V.C Chandhira Kumar, P. Parthasarthi, T. Murugesan, K. Nallathambi, S. Senthilkumar and R. Arulselvam, Justice S. Rajeswaran ruled that “there are no merits in their contentions”.
The six legislators were suspended for a year by Speaker P. Dhanapal, after they assaulted Michael Rayappan, DMDK MLA from Radhapuram, during the Assembly proceedings on February 8. The period of suspension was, however, reduced to six months.
The petitioners, in their joint affidavit, contended that none of them was issued a notice for alleged breach of privilege by the committee before the inquiry, investigation and submission of reports.
They alleged that the report of the privilege committee was “one-sided and arbitrary”. “Mr Rayappan and three other members from the DMDK provoked them by trying to create a rift within the DMDK,” they added. Advocate general A.L. Somayaji, however, argued that the writ petition was not maintainable because the House had the powers to regulate its proceedings and conduct internal proceedings.
“The Assembly proceedings were initiated against the six members because they were interfering with the duties of the other members. They brought disrepute to the House by assaulting a fellow member,” he contended.
Justice Rajeswaran, in his judgment delivered at the Madras High Court Bench in Madurai on Wednesday, referred to the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court judgments given in similar cases.
