Tamil Nadu Assembly: Speaker orders eviction of DMK MLAs over demand to expunge CM's remarks

The Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed dramatic scenes on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) as DMK legislators were physically evicted from the House on the orders of Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar. The action came after opposition members staged a sit-in protest, demanding that remarks made by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay be struck from the official record.

The DMK MLAs raised slogans and insisted that the Chief Minister's references to the Sarkaria Commission, the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA), former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, late leader Murasoli Maran, and an Enforcement Directorate (ED) dossier be expunged. The protest began immediately after proceedings commenced, with DMK whip E.V. Velu raising the issue and pressing for the removal of the remarks.

Speaker Prabhakar, however, declined the request, asserting that the topics raised, particularly the Sarkaria Commission, had been debated in the House on multiple occasions. He noted that the Chief Minister had quoted from an ED report already in the public domain, adding, "He has not said anything new." The Speaker maintained that the Chief Minister had adhered to Assembly rules and spoken with sufficient evidence.

As the DMK members remained adamant, they moved towards the Speaker's chair and staged a sit-in. Despite attempts by the Speaker to persuade them to return to their seats and allow Mr. Velu to speak, the legislators refused to relent. Consequently, the Speaker directed the watch and ward staff to remove them from the chamber. While most MLAs complied and left, some were carried out. Valparai MLA Kutti alias Sudhakar resisted the eviction, leading to a ruckus.

Speaking after the incident, the Speaker expressed regret over the turn of events, stating that the DMK members had arrived with a premeditated motive. "Even though the party is led by a senior leader and they disrupted the House, what option do I have? Even then, I granted permission to Mr. Velu to speak. I am pained by what happened today," he said, adding that the dignity of the House must be protected as the proceedings are watched by people across the world.

Defending the party's stance, DMK whip E.V. Velu argued that the Chief Minister's actions on Monday (September 7) violated the rules of the House, which require ministers to confine their remarks to matters concerning their departments. He also criticised the reference to individuals not present in the House, particularly the late Murasoli Maran, and highlighted the historical context of MISA, noting that party leader M.K. Stalin was arrested shortly after his wedding and imprisoned for a year under the act.

In response, Leader of the House K.A. Sengottaiyan stated that there was nothing objectionable in referring to the Sarkaria Commission, as it had been discussed in the Assembly previously. PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna suggested that CPI(M) state secretary P. Shanmugam's criticism of the Chief Minister's remarks stemmed from a misunderstanding.