Tamil Nadu Speaker Schedules Hearing on AIADMK Defection and Disqualification of Four Former MLAs

Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker J. C. D. Prabhakar has issued notices for a hearing on July 30 concerning a disqualification petition under the anti‑defection law. The petition was filed by AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami after 25 AIADMK legislators voted for the C. Joseph Vijay‑led TVK government in a confidence motion, defying the party whip. While Palaniswami later accepted the actions of 21 of those legislators, four – Maragatham Kumaravel, P. Sathyabama, S. Jeyakumar and Esakki Subaya – resigned, joined the ruling party and are now facing disqualification proceedings. The Speaker has scheduled individual 30‑minute slots for each former MLA and asked Palaniswami to be present to clarify the petition. The outcome could set a precedent for the application of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution in Tamil Nadu politics.