Tamil Nadu Speaker begins another round of inquiry into disqualification pleas against four ex-AIADMK MLAs

Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker and MLA J.C.D. Prabhakar. File

Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar on Tuesday (November 10, 2026) began another round of inquiries against four former AIADMK legislators against whom disqualification proceedings had been initiated under the provisions of the anti-defection law.

Within a few weeks of being elected on AIADMK tickets in the 2026 Assembly elections, Esakki Subaya (Ambasamudram), S. Jayakumar (Perundurai), P. Sathyabama (Dharapuram), and Maragatham Kumaravel (Maduranthagam) resigned their membership of the House and joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The last two have since been re-elected in bypolls to the Assembly from their respective constituencies on TVK tickets.

Following the defections, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami had filed disqualification petitions against them before the Speaker under the provisions of the anti-defection law.

During the course of inquiry into the disqualification petitions, the Speaker had summoned all four and conducted several rounds of hearings. The AIADMK side had also submitted clarifications on several questions raised by the Speaker.

The inquiries that began on Tuesday assume significance against the backdrop of an order passed by the Madras High Court on October 13, directing the Speaker to decide within two months on the disqualification proceedings pending against the four.

On Tuesday, Mr. Subaya and Mr. Jayakumar appeared before the Speaker for the inquiry at the Secretariat in Chennai. The AIADMK was represented by party whip Agri. S.S. Krishnamurthy, N. Thalavai Sundaram, and Rajya Sabha member I.S. Inbadurai. The fresh round of inquiry is likely to continue for two more days.