Disqualification proceedings: Edappadi Palaniswami, ex-AIADMK MLAs asked to appear before Speaker on July 30

Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar has asked AIADMK general secretary and party floor leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami and four former AIADMK MLAs facing disqualification proceedings under the provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, to appear before him on July 30, 2026 for further clarifications.

In a letter from the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretariat to Mr. Palaniswami, Assembly Secretary R. Santhi said the Speaker has called four former AIADMK MLAs — Maragatham Kumaravel (Maduranthagam), P. Sathyabama (Dharapuram), S. Jeyakumar (Perundurai) and Esakki Subaya (Ambasamudram) — to appear before him individually between 11 a.m. and 12.30 p.m., allotting 30 minutes to each, on July 30. During the same time, the Speaker also asked Mr. Palaniswami to be present before him for further clarifications.

This was pursuant to the disqualification petition submitted to the Speaker by Mr. Palaniswami on May 13 after 25 rebel AIADMK MLAs voted in favour of the Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government during the vote of confidence in the Assembly. Later, Mr. Palaniswami condoned 21 of the 25 MLAs, while the aforesaid four members resigned from the Assembly and joined the TVK.

During the course of the inquiry into the petition submitted by Mr. Palaniswami, the four former MLAs appeared before the Speaker separately on two occasions and gave both oral and written explanations for their conduct during the trust vote, in which they had “defied” the party whip. Following this, the Speaker sought certain clarifications from Mr. Palaniswami. AIADMK leaders, on behalf of Mr. Palaniswami, recently submitted his explanation to the Speaker.

Against this backdrop, the Speaker has called both sides to appear before him, as he seeks further clarifications in the matter based on the explanations received from them earlier.