Chennai: Madras high court on Tuesday dismissed as withdrawn a writ petition challenging the TN assembly speaker’s decision to drop disqualification proceedings against 22 AIADMK MLAs who defied the party whip and voted in favour of the TVK govt during a confidence motion.The first bench of Chief Justice S A Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan wondered in what way the petitioner—Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi—is aggrieved by the decision of the speaker. As the bench made it clear that it could consider imposing exemplary cost on the petitioner, counsel for the petitioner requested the court to permit him to withdraw the plea.Following the confidence motion on May 13, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami sought disqualification proceedings against the MLAs. Subsequently, after four MLAs resigned and the remaining 21 MLAs submitted letters seeking pardon, Palaniswami withdrew his plea.Another representation filed by C Vijayabaskar seeking disqualification of 22 MLAs was also withdrawn. The speaker then dropped the disqualification proceedings against all 43 MLAs.
