Madras HC Upholds Resignation of 6 AIADMK MLAs
Madras High Court validates Speaker's decision to accept resignations of six AIADMK MLAs who joined TVK; disqualification proceedings to continue.
In a significant legal development for Tamil Nadu politics, the Madras High Court on Tuesday upheld the decision of Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar to accept the resignations of six AIADMK MLAs. These legislators had defected from the AIADMK to join the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
Court Validates Speaker's Decision
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan delivered the ruling while partly allowing a batch of writ petitions. The petitions had been filed by AIADMK whip Agri S.S. Krishnamurthy, who challenged the Speaker's orders to accept the resignations of the following MLAs:
- Maragatham Kumaravel
- Sathyabama
- Isakki Subbaiah
- Jayakumar
- MR Vijayabhaskar
- C Vijayabhaskar
The court held that the acceptance of these resignations, which occurred between May 26 and June 29, 2026, was constitutionally valid. Crucially, the Bench ruled that there was no requirement for a "roving inquiry" into the matter, though it noted that disqualification proceedings against these MLAs can still continue.
The Dispute Over Disqualification and Inquiry
The legal battle stemmed from allegations by the petitioners that the Speaker accepted the resignations without conducting a proper inquiry, even while disqualification proceedings were already pending. The disqualification plea was originally triggered by allegations that the six MLAs had voted in support of the TVK government, thereby violating the AIADMK party whip.
During the proceedings, the petitioners raised concerns regarding a complaint previously made to the Governor concerning "horse-trading." Conversely, the resigned MLAs defended their actions, arguing that the act of resigning and subsequently joining a different political party is a fundamental part of democratic politics.
Representing the Assembly Secretary, arguments were presented stating that if an MLA submits a voluntary resignation letter, the Speaker does not have the authority to refuse its acceptance.
By-election Outcomes in Maduranthakam and Dharapuram
The political shift caused by these resignations led to by-elections in the Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies. The results saw a decisive victory for the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK):
- Dharapuram: TVK candidate P. Sathyabama secured victory with 66,841 votes.
- Maduranthakam: TVK candidate K. Maragatham Kumaravel also won the seat.
Both former AIADMK legislators successfully retained their seats in the assembly by contesting under the TVK whistle symbol, winning by significant margins over candidates from the DMK and AIADMK.