Madras HC restrains TN Speaker from action against DMK MLAs

The Madras High Court on Thursday directed Tamil Nadu assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal not to take action till September 14 on privilege notices issued to 21 DMK legislators.

The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by these legislators.

The Speaker had issued notices to the DMK lawmakers for bringing and displaying banned tobacco product 'gutka' in the assembly.

Their counsel said no law banned possession or consumption of 'gutka' and maintained that a government notification had only banned its manufacture and sale.

On July 19, DMK Working President and Leader of Opposition M.K. Stalin and others displayed 'gutka' packets in the assembly to point out that banned items were available in market in alleged connivance of officials concerned.

Stalin also referred to an alleged gutka scam involving several senior police officers and asked what action was the government planning to take in the matter.

Objecting to the display of banned items in the assembly, the Speaker had issued a breach of privilege notice to the DMK lawmakers.

--IANS

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