In a relief to the Palaniswami government, the Madras High Court today delivered a split verdict on the petitions challenging...

In a relief to the Palaniswami government, the Madras High Court today delivered a split verdict on the petitions challenging disqualification of 18 AIADMK legislators loyal to sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran. In the keenly-awaited judgment, Chief Justice Indira Banerjee upheld the September 18 last order of Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal disqualifying the MLAs, while Justice M Sundar disagreed with her and struck it down.

 Chief Justice Indira Banerjee

The senior-most judge after her will decide the third judge who would hear the matter afresh, Justice Banerjee said. The split verdict has come as a big relief to the AIADMK government headed by Chief Minister K Palaniswami as any possible threat to its stability has been averted for now.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami

The bench was passing orders on petitions filed by the 18 MLAs challenging their disqualification by the speaker under the anti-defection law. The MLAs were disqualified after they had called on the governor on August 22 last year expressing their lack of confidence in the leadership of Palaniswami and seeking a change of guard.