Suspended MLA seeks more time for�reply to Speaker''s notice

Suspended ruling Congress legislator N Dhanavelou on Friday sought more time to reply to

the notice issued to him by Puducherry assembly Speaker V P Sivakolundhu on why no action should be taken against the

former under the anti-defection law. Dhanavelou, in a letter presented to the Speaker, sought

two more weeks' time to submit his reply to the notice issued to him on February 8.

The suspended MLA was earlier given a week's time to give his reply.

Accompanied by his lawyers, the legislator met the Speaker and submitted the letter to him.

Official sources said the Speaker told him that he would peruse the legislator`s letter and take a decision.

Dhanavelou was suspended by the PCC on January 15 for his alleged anti-party and anti-government activities by holding a

rally in his constituency of Bahoor in the first week of January and also levelling allegations against the Chief

Minister V Narayanasamy and other ministers through a petition to the Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi.

A delegation of Congress legislators, headed by government whip R K R Anandaraman, had presented a petition to the

Speaker on January 30. The petition sought disqualification of Dhanavelou as

member of the House as he had indulged in "anti-government activities" by meeting Lieutenant Governor and seeking a probe

into alleged corrupt practices of Chief Minister and his relatives and also of other Ministers.

The Speaker issued a notice to Dhanavelou in the wake of the petition for his disqualification and gave him time to

show cause as to why action should not be taken against him. However, Dhanavelou attended the one-day special session

of the Assembly on February 12.