Fair and square: On the Tamil Nadu Speaker, MLAs, disqualification proceedings

T.N. Assembly (विधानसभा) Speaker is going by the letter and spirit of Tenth Schedule (दसवीं अनुसूची)

Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (a governing body in a state or territory that has the power to make laws; state legislature, Vidhan Sabha) Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar has followed democratic (लोकतांत्रिक) principles (सिद्धांत) by deciding not to pursue (to continue or proceed along a particular course of action; engage in, conduct, follow, prosecute) disqualification (अयोग्यता) proceedings (कार्यवाही) against 21 AIADMK MLAs after the party’s general secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, condoned (to accept or allow behaviour that is considered morally wrong or offensive to continue; overlook, excuse, forgive, disregard) the actions of the rebel (विद्रोही, बागी) legislators (विधायक). Contrary to (in opposition or contrast to something; against, opposed to, conflicting with, at variance with) their party’s whip, the MLAs had supported the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led government during (के दौरान) the trust vote (विश्वास मत) on May 13. Mr. Prabhakar also stood by his assurance (आश्वासन), made on May 24, that his eventual (final, ultimate, resulting, subsequent) decision would demonstrate (प्रदर्शित करना, साबित करना) his impartiality (निष्पक्षता). Actually (वास्तव में), 25 MLAs of the Dravidian major (a principal political party in Tamil Nadu with a Dravidian ideological base; regional heavyweight, dominant regional party, major political group, prominent Dravidian faction) had violated (उल्लंघन करना) the party’s directive (an official or authoritative instruction; order, ruling, command, decree) and favoured (support, back, endorse, champion) the new regime (government, administration, establishment, system) but four of them including two women legislators subsequently (later, afterwards, in due course, eventually) resigned their seats (a place in an elected parliament, assembly or council). This is why the Speaker’s action pertained (to be appropriate, related, or applicable to something; concern, relate to, apply to, be connected with) only to 21 MLAs, after receiving letters from Mr. Palaniswami stating that he had condoned (approve, sanction, justify, vindicate, endorse (something bad as acceptable)) the dissidents’ violation (breach, contravention, infringement, breaking) of the party whip (a written notice or directive provided by a political party to its members in a legislature to vote to support a specific act or policy; directive, mandate, stricture, instruction). As the official group and the rebels (insurgent, revolutionary, mutineer, agitator) reached a truce (an agreement between enemies or opponents to stop fighting or arguing for a certain time; ceasefire, peace, armistice, suspension of hostilities) on May 27, the AIADMK chief decided to condone the dissidents’ actions within 15 days from the date of such voting, as prescribed (stipulate, lay down, dictate, mandate) under the Tenth Schedule and the Tamil Nadu Assembly’s disqualification rules.

Notwithstanding (in spite of something; despite, regardless of, irrespective of, in defiance of) Mr. Prabhakar’s track record (the past achievements or performance of a person or organization; background, history, profile, past performance) as a non-controversial (not likely to cause disagreement or debate; accepted, undisputed, agreeable, uncontentious) politician, many wondered (ponder, question, speculate, think about) whether he would act (behave, conduct oneself, perform, function) fairly (with justice, appropriately, or legitimately; justly, equitably, impartially, objectively), given that (taking into account; assuming that, considering that, bearing in mind, taking into consideration) Mr. Palaniswami and his colleagues (co-worker, associate, teammate, partner) are political adversaries (opponent, rival, enemy, antagonist) of TVK. Besides (in addition to or apart from; furthermore, moreover, also, additionally), Tamil Nadu has not been free from (devoid of, without, unencumbered by, lacking) the unfortunate (regrettable, adverse, untoward, lamentable) tendency (inclination, disposition, leaning, propensity) of Assembly Speakers acting in a partisan manner. P.H. Pandian, who served as (act as, function as, work as, officiate as) Speaker from 1985 to 1989, had even said that the presiding officer (the official in charge of a legislative assembly or polling station; speaker, chairperson, head, moderator) of the Assembly possessed (own, have, hold, be endowed with) “sky-high (very high or exorbitant in level; extreme, excessive, soaring, elevated) powers”. The discretionary powers (authority, control, clout, dominance) enshrined (preserve, protect, incorporate, embody) in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution (a body of fundamental principles according to which a state is acknowledged to be governed; supreme law, charter), which deals with defection (the desertion of one’s political party in favor of an opposing one; desertion, absconding, decamping, apostasy), have been used by Speakers in various States for the wrong reasons. By dropping (abandon, give up, discontinue, cancel) the proceedings against the 21 dissidents, Mr. Prabhakar has upheld constitutional (relating to an established set of principles governing a state; legal, statutory, lawful, official) morality (ethics, uprightness, probity, righteousness). However (nevertheless, nonetheless, yet, though), he should have initiated (start, commence, launch) disqualification proceedings against the four others before accepting their resignation. The Assembly Secretariat (the administrative body responsible for the functioning, management, and records of a Legislative Assembly; legislative office, assembly administration, legislative bureaucracy) also duly (properly, correctly, appropriately, fittingly) notified that vacancies had arisen (to emerge or become apparent; emerge, surface, come to light, appear) in the four constituencies (a body of voters in a specified area who elect a representative to a legislative body; electoral district, voting area, ward, riding), following which (after a particular event has occurred; subsequently, after which, whereupon, next) the election authorities advised (counsel, guide, instruct, recommend) the District Election Officers (an officer of the State Government designated by the Election Commission of India to supervise election work in a district; district electoral head) to appoint Returning Officers (an official responsible for overseeing an election in a constituency, including scrutinising nominations and declaring results; polling official, electoral officer). Mr. Prabhakar rightly (correctly, accurately, properly, justly) went by Mr. Palaniswami’s submission (the action of presenting a proposal, application, or other document for consideration; presentation, tendering proposal) wherein (in which place or respect; in that, where, in which) only the names of 21 MLAs were mentioned, and decided to pursue the matter (an affair or situation under consideration; issue, subject, concern, topic) against the other four. But, this will be of a purely technical nature (relating strictly to procedural or formal details rather than substantive issues; procedural, strictly formal, administrative, legalistic) as the bar (prohibition, restriction, obstacle, barrier) is only on disqualified (barred, banned, invalidated, eliminated) members becoming Ministers before getting elected again. Even as (at the very same time as; while, whilst, at the exact moment that) Mr. Prabhakar’s next course of action (a procedure adopted to deal with a situation; plan, strategy, approach, method) is awaited (wait for, expect, anticipate, look forward to), it is a healthy (positive, sound, beneficial, constructive) sign that he has so far (up to this point in time; until now, up to now, to date, thus far) demonstrated fairness (equity, justice, impartiality, objectivity) in dealing with the petitions (a formal written request appealing to an authority in respect of a particular cause; appeal, plea, application) seeking (to attempt to find or achieve something; try to find, look for, pursue, aim for) disqualification.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Assembly (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विधानसभा
English Meaning - a group of people elected to make laws or decisions for a particular country or region; legislature, parliament, council, congress.

2.Tenth Schedule (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दसवीं अनुसूची
English Meaning - a provision in the Constitution of India, inserted by the 52nd Amendment in 1985 to prevent political defections; anti-defection law, party-hopping deterrent.

3.violate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - उल्लंघन करना
English Meaning - breach, contravene, break, infringe.

4.democratic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - लोकतांत्रिक
English Meaning - relating to or supporting democracy or its principles; representative, egalitarian, popular.

5.principle (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सिद्धांत
English Meaning - core belief, rule, doctrine, tenet.

6.disqualification (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अयोग्यता
English Meaning - elimination, barring, invalidation, exclusion.

7.proceeding (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्यवाही
English Meaning - legal action, formal step.

8.rebel (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विद्रोही, बागी
English Meaning - defiant, disobedient, nonconformist, dissenting.

9.legislator (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विधायक
English Meaning - a person who makes laws or a member of a legislative body; lawmaker, elected representative, MLA.

10.during (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - के दौरान
English Meaning - throughout, in the time of, in the course of.

11.trust vote (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विश्वास मत
English Meaning - a vote in a parliament or assembly to determine if the government still has the confidence of the majority of lawmakers; vote of confidence, floor test, confidence motion, majority test.

12.assurance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आश्वासन
English Meaning - promise, pledge, vow, guarantee.

13.demonstrate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रदर्शित करना, साबित करना
English Meaning - show, display, exhibit, indicate.

14.impartiality (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निष्पक्षता
English Meaning - fairness, neutrality, non-partisanship, objectivity.

15.actually (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - वास्तव में
English Meaning - really, in fact, truly, genuinely.

16.directive (noun)

English Meaning - an official or authoritative instruction; order, ruling, command, decree.

17.favour (verb)

English Meaning - support, back, endorse, champion.

18.follow (verb)

English Meaning - adhere to, obey, observe, comply with.

19.contrary to (phrase)

English Meaning - in opposition or contrast to something; against, opposed to, conflicting with, at variance with.

20.eventual (adjective)

English Meaning - final, ultimate, resulting, subsequent.

21.fair and square (phrase)

English Meaning - honestly, fairly, straightforwardly, by the book; squarely, justly, objectively, properly.

22.Speaker (noun)

English Meaning - the presiding officer of a legislative body, mandated to conduct house proceedings and maintain decorum impartially; chairperson, presiding officer, head of the assembly, chair.

23.go by (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - follow, obey, abide by, comply with, adhere to.

24.the letter and spirit of (phrase)

English Meaning - adhering to both the literal wording and the true intent or purpose of the law; exact phrasing, true intention, underlying principle, core meaning.

25.Legislative Assembly (noun)

English Meaning - a governing body in a state or territory that has the power to make laws; state legislature, Vidhan Sabha.

26.pursue (verb)

English Meaning - to continue or proceed along a particular course of action; engage in, conduct, follow, prosecute.

27.condone (verb)

English Meaning - to accept or allow behaviour that is considered morally wrong or offensive to continue; overlook, excuse, forgive, disregard.

28.condone (verb)

English Meaning - approve, sanction, justify, vindicate, endorse (something bad as acceptable).

29.whip (noun)

English Meaning - a written notice or directive provided by a political party to its members in a legislature to vote to support a specific act or policy; directive, mandate, stricture, instruction.

30.stand by (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to continue to support or be loyal to someone or something; support, back up, defend, stick with.

31.Dravidian major (noun)

English Meaning - a principal political party in Tamil Nadu with a Dravidian ideological base; regional heavyweight, dominant regional party, major political group, prominent Dravidian faction.

32.regime (noun)

English Meaning - government, administration, establishment, system.

33.subsequently (adverb)

English Meaning - later, afterwards, in due course, eventually.

34.seat (noun)

English Meaning - a place in an elected parliament, assembly or council.

35.pertain (verb)

English Meaning - to be appropriate, related, or applicable to something; concern, relate to, apply to, be connected with.

36.state (verb)

English Meaning - declare, express, articulate, specify.

37.dissident (noun)

English Meaning - dissenter, objector, protester, nonconformist.

38.violation (noun)

English Meaning - breach, contravention, infringement, breaking.

39.rebel (noun)

English Meaning - insurgent, revolutionary, mutineer, agitator.

40.truce (noun)

English Meaning - an agreement between enemies or opponents to stop fighting or arguing for a certain time; ceasefire, peace, armistice, suspension of hostilities.

41.prescribe (verb)

English Meaning - stipulate, lay down, dictate, mandate.

42.notwithstanding (preposition)

English Meaning - in spite of something; despite, regardless of, irrespective of, in defiance of.

43.track record (noun)

English Meaning - the past achievements or performance of a person or organization; background, history, profile, past performance.

44.non-controversial (adjective)

English Meaning - not likely to cause disagreement or debate; accepted, undisputed, agreeable, uncontentious.

45.wonder (verb)

English Meaning - ponder, question, speculate, think about.

46.act (verb)

English Meaning - behave, conduct oneself, perform, function.

47.fairly (adverb)

English Meaning - with justice, appropriately, or legitimately; justly, equitably, impartially, objectively.

48.given that (phrase)

English Meaning - taking into account; assuming that, considering that, bearing in mind, taking into consideration.

49.colleague (noun)

English Meaning - co-worker, associate, teammate, partner.

50.adversary (noun)

English Meaning - opponent, rival, enemy, antagonist.

51.besides (adverb)

English Meaning - in addition to or apart from; furthermore, moreover, also, additionally.

52.free from (phrase)

English Meaning - devoid of, without, unencumbered by, lacking.

53.unfortunate (adjective)

English Meaning - regrettable, adverse, untoward, lamentable.

54.tendency (noun)

English Meaning - inclination, disposition, leaning, propensity.

55.act in (phrase)

English Meaning - to behave or conduct oneself in a particular specified way; behave, perform, operate, function.

56.serve as (phrase)

English Meaning - act as, function as, work as, officiate as.

57.presiding officer (noun)

English Meaning - the official in charge of a legislative assembly or polling station; speaker, chairperson, head, moderator.

58.possess (verb)

English Meaning - own, have, hold, be endowed with.

59.sky-high (adjective)

English Meaning - very high or exorbitant in level; extreme, excessive, soaring, elevated.

60.power (noun)

English Meaning - authority, control, clout, dominance.

61.discretionary powers (noun)

English Meaning - authority granted to an official that leaves them free to make choices based on their own judgment; independent authority, arbitrary power, decision-making liberty.

62.enshrine (verb)

English Meaning - preserve, protect, incorporate, embody.

63.the Constitution (noun)

English Meaning - a body of fundamental principles according to which a state is acknowledged to be governed; supreme law, charter.

64.defection (noun)

English Meaning - the desertion of one’s political party in favor of an opposing one; desertion, absconding, decamping, apostasy.

65.drop (verb)

English Meaning - abandon, give up, discontinue, cancel.

66.uphold (verb)

English Meaning - to confirm or support; maintain, sustain, defend, back.

67.constitutional (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to an established set of principles governing a state; legal, statutory, lawful, official.

68.morality (noun)

English Meaning - ethics, uprightness, probity, righteousness.

69.however (adverb)

English Meaning - nevertheless, nonetheless, yet, though.

70.initiate (verb)

English Meaning - start, commence, launch.

71.Assembly Secretariat (noun)

English Meaning - the administrative body responsible for the functioning, management, and records of a Legislative Assembly; legislative office, assembly administration, legislative bureaucracy.

72.duly (adverb)

English Meaning - properly, correctly, appropriately, fittingly.

73.arise (verb)

English Meaning - to emerge or become apparent; emerge, surface, come to light, appear.

74.constituency (noun)

English Meaning - a body of voters in a specified area who elect a representative to a legislative body; electoral district, voting area, ward, riding.

75.following which (phrase)

English Meaning - after a particular event has occurred; subsequently, after which, whereupon, next.

76.authority (noun)

English Meaning - officialdom, government, administration, establishment.

77.advise (verb)

English Meaning - counsel, guide, instruct, recommend.

78.District Election Officer (noun)

English Meaning - an officer of the State Government designated by the Election Commission of India to supervise election work in a district; district electoral head.

79.Returning Officer (noun)

English Meaning - an official responsible for overseeing an election in a constituency, including scrutinising nominations and declaring results; polling official, electoral officer.

80.rightly (adverb)

English Meaning - correctly, accurately, properly, justly.

81.submission (noun)

English Meaning - the action of presenting a proposal, application, or other document for consideration; presentation, tendering proposal.

82.wherein (adverb)

English Meaning - in which place or respect; in that, where, in which.

83.matter (noun)

English Meaning - an affair or situation under consideration; issue, subject, concern, topic.

84.of a purely technical nature (phrase)

English Meaning - relating strictly to procedural or formal details rather than substantive issues; procedural, strictly formal, administrative, legalistic.

85.bar (noun)

English Meaning - prohibition, restriction, obstacle, barrier.

86.disqualified (adjective)

English Meaning - barred, banned, invalidated, eliminated.

87.even as (phrase)

English Meaning - at the very same time as; while, whilst, at the exact moment that.

88.course of action (phrase)

English Meaning - a procedure adopted to deal with a situation; plan, strategy, approach, method.

89.await (verb)

English Meaning - wait for, expect, anticipate, look forward to.

90.healthy (adjective)

English Meaning - positive, sound, beneficial, constructive.