Suspension of six Opposition DMDK MLAs reduced to six months

Chennai: The one year suspension of six Opposition DMDK MLAs in the Tamil Nadu Assembly was on Tuesday reduced to six months following appeals by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and opposition parties.

On Monday, DMDK MLAs V C Chandrakumar, K Nallathambi, D Murugesan, S Senthil Kumar, B Parthasarathy and R Arulselvan were suspended for allegedly assaulting C Michael Rayappan, one of the four MLAs from the Vijayakant-led party to have called on Chief Minister Jayalalithaa last year, much to the chagrin of the DMDK high command.

When the issue was raised by Opposition parties today, Ms Jayalalithaa asked Speaker P Dhanapal to consider their plea.

Subsequently, a resolution was passed in this regard and the Speaker said the suspension period was being reduced to six months. However, the MLAs will not be entitled to their salary, perks and powers, he said.

However, unsatisfied with the Speaker's ruling, DMK members staged a walk-out.

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