Karunaas would require the support of 33 more MLAs to move the motion.
AIADMK lawmaker S Karunaas has sent a notice seeking removal Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal for allegedly acting in a biased and partisan manner.
Karunaas who heads Thevar Puli Padai, a casteist organisation, was recently arrested following his proactive speech against Chief Minister K Palaniswami , his deputy O Panneerselvam and the Tamil Nadu police. He had contested under the AIADMK's two leaves symbol.
Although a court granted him bail, he got himself admitted in a private hospital amid speculation police was preparing to arrest him again in another case.
Referring to the Speaker, Karunaas, in his letter, said: "He is acting in a biased and partisan manner while conducting the assembly proceedings as well as discharging his constitutional duties as a Speaker. He is not acting as an independent authority who is holding a high constitutional position".
Karunaas' move comes after DMK Chief and leader of opposition M K Stalin hinted that the ruling AIADMK was planning to expel him ahead of the verdict in the case challenging the disqualification of 18 AIADMK lawmakers in a bid to avoid a trust vote. The Madras High Court had given a split verdict on the matter and the third judge's verdict is expected soon. There is speculation that the Tamil Nadu Speaker was contemplating to send a show cause notice for his stand against the Chief Minister.
Karunaas would require the support of 33 more MLAs to move the motion. It's not clear yet if the DMK would support him. Karunaas had attended the model assembly the DMK had held a few months ago and on Wednesday DMK lawmaker J Anbazhagan visited Karunaas at the hospital.
A senior official at the Speaker's office said, "Of course it would be taken up in the next session after giving the two week mandatory notice time".
The Speaker had expelled 18 lawmakers loyal to Dhinakaran last year under the anti defection law after they wrote to the Governor
Banwarilal Purohit seeking replacement of Chief Minister Palaniswami.
This is not the first time a no confidence motion has been moved against the Speaker. In March last year, the DMK's no confidence motion against the Speaker was defeated in the assembly. And with another such exercise imminent, it would be the third such exercise in the history of the Tamil Nadu assembly.