Chennai: Actor-politician Vijayakant of DMDK
has moved the Madras High Court challenging February 2 Tamil
Nadu Assembly resolution suspending him from the House for ten
days following a recommendation by the privileges committee.
Justice S Rajeswaran, before whom the petition came up,
posted it to March 2 to enable the Assembly Secretary to argue
on the maintainability and the prayer for a stay of the
suspension.
The government pleader took notice on behalf of the
Assembly Secretary.
Vijaykant, who was suspended for committing a breach of
privilege during an acrimonious exchange with Chief Minister
Jayalalithaa, sought declaration of the resolution as
`unconstitutional, illegal, null and void`.
He said since he was suspended just three days before the
session ended on February 4, he would have to undergo the
remaining seven days of suspension in the next Assembly
session.
Vijaykant, leader of the Opposition in the Assembly,
submitted that depriving him of membership of the assembly and
preventing him from functioning as MLA during the interregnum
period "will amount to assumption of extra power by the House
in violation of the Constitutional provisions".
"The judiciary has to come to the rescue and take
remedial measures" if the ruling party thwarted the freedom of
speech and expression of an elected representative by
discrimination and unfair means, he said.
PTI
