DMK MLAs seek time to reply to privilege notice

Chennai: The DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Tuesday said a government which had lost majority in the Assembly did not have the right to convene the Assembly Privileges Committee.

Talking to the media at the DMK headquarters here, Stalin said though the government did not have locus standi to convene the privileges committee,

DMK's 21 MLAs who had received notices from privileges committee on the issue of displaying gutka sachets in the Assembly, had given their reply to the Assembly secretariat on Tuesday.

The MLAs had replied that the charge made by the privileges committee did not come under violation of Assembly privileges, Stalin said. But they also sought 15 days' time for a proper reply since the MLAs had to consult legal experts and collect more information.

He also said the meeting held by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had proved that he did not enjoy the support of majority MLAs in the Assembly. A total of 19 MLAs had met Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao and given a petition that they did not have trust in the Chief Minister.

He also added that all opposition leaders too had met the Governor and President Ram Nath Kovind explained the situation of Palaniswami's government. Stalin demanded that the Governor should direct Palaniswami to convene the Assembly and prove his majority in a fair, honest and democratic manner.