Tamil Nadu crisis: Upset DMK approaches court on trust vote

Displeased with Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal after the latter had rejected the secret ballot demand during Edappadi K Palaniswami government’s confidence vote, the main opposition party DMK approached the Madras High Court on Monday. 

Senior lawyer and former DMK Rajya Sabha member R Shanmugasundaram cited the matter before the first bench and pleaded for urgent hearing. 

The bench of acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh and Justice R Mahadevan directed the lawyer to file a petition, and they would take up the matter on Tuesday.

It is believed that the party would seek fresh order for secret ballot and would also plead to declare the vote count as null and void. 

E K Palaniswami had won the trust vote 122-11 in the234-member assembly aided by the eviction of main oppositionDMK and walkout by its allies, amid stormy scenes during which mikes were uprooted, chairs toppled and sheets of papers torn.

The division vote was taken up after two adjournments following tempestuous scenes during which the opposition MLAsinsisted on a secret vote, which was rejected by Speaker PDhanapal. 

Also Read: Governor seeks report on incidents in Tamil Nadu Assembly during trust vote