AIADMK MLAs disqualification case: SC appoints M Sathyanarayanan to hear the case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reportedly replaced Justice S Vimala with Justice M Sathyanarayanan to hear the 18 AIADMK MLAs disqualification case. A vacation bench of the SC comprising justices Arun Mishra and S K Kaul delivered the order on a plea filed by some of the disqualified lawmakers.

Earlier on June 14, a division bench of Madras High Court comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar passed a split verdict in the case. While the former upheld the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker’s decision of disqualifying the MLAs, loyal to TTV Dhinakaran, the latter turned down the disqualification.

Following which, CJ Indira Banerjee announced that a third judge will be appointed to investigate the matter. The HC’s senior-most judge Justice Huluwadi G Ramesh had asked Justice S Vimala to hear the matter.

The MLAs sought the transfer of the disqualification case from the Madras High Court to the top court. The apex court stated that it cannot stay the disqualification or impose any time limit on the third judge to pronounce the verdict in the case.