Two MLAs submit notices to move no-confidence motion against Puducherry assembly speaker

PUDUCHERRY: In a first in the history of the Union territory of Puducherry, notices to move a no-confidence motion against the legislative assembly Speaker were filed before the secretary of the legislative assembly. Two independent MLAs – P Angalane and G Nehru alias Kuppusamy – submitted the notices to the assembly secretary to move a no-confidence motion against speaker R Selvam, accusing him of failing to maintain the dignity and decorum of the office of the speaker.

In the notice, Nehru, who supports the All India NR Congress, said Selvam was acting like a shadow chief minister and like cabinet ministers, not like the speaker of a legislative assembly. He pointed out that the speaker acted in a partisan manner by removing him from the govt assurances committee, public accounts committee and estimates committee in the legislative assembly for undertaking a procession urging the govt to protect the traders from rowdy elements extorting money from them. He said Selvam failed to adhere to the constitutional ethos by acting in a partisan manner.

Angalane, who supports the BJP, said Selvam brought disgrace to the office of the speaker by acting in a partisan manner. His decision to remove an MLA from different committees exposed his intent, which is against the Constitution.

However, Selvam, while speaking to a section of reporters, said he was acting well within the rules and regulations. He said the elected members have every right to serve notice to move a no-confidence motion against the govt or other members. The House would decide on the notices, he said.

Experts said the no-confidence notices would be taken up if one-fifth of elected members in the assembly support them; else, the notices would be rejected. In the 30-member assembly, the All India NR Congress has 10 seats and its ally BJP 10 seats. On the opposition side, the DMK has six and Congress two. A record number of six independents were elected in the 2021 polls. Apart from the 30 members, three BJP functionaries were nominated as MLAs.