Tables, chairs broken, mics yanked, shirts torn: All the drama that happened during TN floor test

Even though Speaker Dhanapal assured MLAs that adequate security will be given, he was forced to adjourn the house and was escorted out by marshals.

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The Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker was manhandled by DMK MLAs on Saturday. (ANI Photo)

High drama and violence ensued in the Tamil Nadu Assembly earlier on Saturday during the confidence motion even as Chief Minister E Palaniswami won the trust vote with the support of 122 MLAs, with 11 voting for O Panneerselvam. Although the media was denied access to the proceedings in the Assembly, visuals of chaos were later telecast on television channels. The uproar in the Assembly was mainly due to opposition parties like the DMK and the Congress demanding that the vote be postponed after their request for a secret ballot was rejected by the Speaker. Citing Governor Vidyasagar Rao’s 15-day time period to garner support, opposition members questioned the hasty nature of the proceedings.

Amid the chaos, DMK’s working president MK Stalin alleged he was assaulted in the Assembly as she showed his torn shirt to reporters outside the assembly. Stalin immediately dashed off to the Raj Bhavan to meet the Governor and complain about the incidents. Tight security was in place outside the Assembly to prevent any untoward incident in the wake of the do or die battle for the pro-Sasikala government.

READ: Tamil Nadu floor test: Chief Minister E Palaniswami wins trust vote, will retain power

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When the Assembly met for the day, Speaker P Dhanapal assured the members that they would be provided proper security. Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal too claimed that even though he was manhandled and shirt was torn, he reconvened the House. “The House will function only according to rules,” he said. The DMK raised slogans in the House, challenging the Speaker’s decision to continue with the vote. DMK MLAs gheraoed Speaker Dhanapal, apart from breaking his table, throwing chairs, tearing papers and flinging his microphone across the floor. DMK MLA Poongothai Aladi Aruna climbed on the bench, demanding a secret ballot. DMK MLA Ku Ka Selvam sat on the Speaker’s chair in protest.

Edappadi Palaniswami wins trust vote: LIVE UPDATES

Although he didn’t participate, Leader of Opposition MK Stalin said, “Democracy will be fulfilled, only when secret ballot voting is done.” He too questioned the hurry in which the vote proceedings are being conducted.

Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker heckled by DMK MLAs inside the House. Videograb

Even though Speaker Dhanapal assured MLAs that adequate security will be given, he was forced to adjourn the house and was escorted out by marshals. Dhanapal refused a secret ballot, and had suggested a division of votes instead.

In Indian parliamentary procedure, a division of the Assembly is done to get a better sense of the House than a voice vote. In this case a voice vote would have been chaotic and for certain, challenged later. The MLAs have now been divided into six groups and the leader of each group will vote instead of individual legislators. Incidentally, the method has been in use since Roman times when, at Westminster, there are separate division lobbies for the “Ayes” and “Noes” to facilitate physical division.

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The Assembly was adjourned till 1 pm following the uproar and then later reconvened. The floor test in the Assembly was the first such exercise in the state in about 30 years.

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