Texas Governor Greg Abbott has filed a lawsuit to remove Democratic lawmaker Gene Wu after more than 50 Democrats fled the state to block a vote on a Republican-led redistricting plan. Their absence denied the legislature the quorum needed to proceed, according to BBC.

The lawsuit, filed in the Texas Supreme Court, accuses Wu of abandoning his duties and calls for his removal through a rarely used legal process called quo warranto. The proposed redistricting would add five Republican-leaning seats to the US House of Representatives.

Democrats argue the walkout was a necessary move to defend democratic principles. Wu has not yet responded, BBC reported.