Supreme Court upholds Speaker's move to drop AIADMK lawmakers' disqualification

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to overturn the Tamil Nadu assembly Speaker's June 9 order that stopped disqualification proceedings against a group of AIADMK legislators who backed C Joseph Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government during a trust vote. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant rejected the plea of PV Selvakumar, who had approached the court after the Madras High Court dismissed his petition.

The judges observed that the AIADMK party, through its general secretary's letter, had effectively condoned the members' conduct, making a legal challenge untenable. While acknowledging that the lawmakers may have breached the party whip, the court stressed that they remain AIADMK members and that the anti-defection provisions must be applied with respect for democratic norms. The ruling underscores the court's view that political parties can accommodate divergent views without triggering automatic disqualification. The trust vote was won by the TVK with the support of 144 of the 234 assembly members.