No-confidence motion against TN Speaker defeated

Chennai, March 23 (IANS) The opposition resolution seeking the removal of Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal was defeated on Thursday, with 122 AIADMK legislators voting against and 97 opposition MLAs voting in favour.

Eleven lawmakers belonging to former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam's camp abstained from voting.

The main opposition party DMK had sponsored the resolution against Dhanapal, alleging that he did not conduct the house properly when Chief Minister K. Palaniswami won the vote of confidence on February 18.

On that day, the Speaker had ordered the eviction of DMK members for creating a ruckus inside the house.

Speaker Dhanapal was absent when the no-confidence motion against him was taken up.