HC dismisses Puducherry rebel Cong MLA's petition seeking to

The Madras High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition by a suspended ruling Congress MLA from Puducherry seeking to forbear the Union Territory Assembly Speaker from disqualifying him for alleged anti-party activities as sought by the Government Whip.

Justice K Ravichandrababu held the petition of D Dhanavelou as not maintainable at this stage since the Speaker was yet to pass any order on the plea of the Government Whip seeking the MLA's disqualification.

The petitioner submitted that the Government Whip has sent two petitions to the Speaker on January 30 and February 14 for disqualifying himfrom the membership of the assembly.

He contended that the reasons cited in the petitions would not attract provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution and therefore the Speaker was not empowered to act on them.

Speaker V P Sivakolundhu has sought the response of the MLA, who was suspended by the Puducherry Congress on January 15 for alleged anti-party activities and violation of party discipline days after he held a rally and levelled charges of corruption against Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his ministerial colleagues.

He had also called on Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and submitted a petition, seeking a CBI probe into the alleged corrupt practices.