Madras High Court dismisses O Panneerselvam's appeal against AIADMK GC and its resolution

Chennai (Tamil Nadu): The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed the appeal against the AIADMK General Committee meeting and its resolution. In this case, Tamil Nadu's former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, Manoj Pandian, Vaithilingam, and JCD Prabhakar have filed an appeal at the Madra High Court.

Earlier, the Supreme Court ordered that the AIADMK General Committee meeting held on July 11, 2022, should go ahead. It also granted permission to file a legal case in the Madras High Court against the resolutions. Following this, O Panneerselvam, Manoj Pandian, Vaithilingam, and JCD Prabhakar filed petitions seeking a ban on decisions such as removing themselves from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham (AIADMK), bringing back the post of general secretary, choosing Edappadi Palanisamy as interim general secretary, and seeking a ban on general secretary elections.

The single judge of the Madra High Court dismissed the petitions six months ago. Then, the hearing of appeal cases filed by the four, including OPS, against this order was held in the bench of Madras High Court Justices Mahadevan and Mohammad Shafiq. Last June 15, a seven-day hearing on these appeal cases was held. It directed both parties to file written arguments by June 28.

Accordingly, written arguments were filed on both sides. In the written argument filed, on the side of OPS, it has been stated that if they are not given relief in these cases, there will be a huge damage. As no court has said that the posts of coordinator and co-coordinator have expired. It has been said that EPS cannot be prevented from acting as a coordinator, and this should be ensured through an interim injunction.

In the written argument filed on behalf of AIADMK and EPS, it has been stated that the petitioners remained silent for eight months. So, they have no right to seek a ban on those resolutions after the resolution was passed on July 11, 2022, and to remove OPS and others from the party.

In this stage, the main point is whether the decisions of the general body are right or wrong. Further, the Madras High Court bench dismissed the appeal filed by four persons, including OPS, ordering that the AIADMK GC has the right to remove members.

Now, Edappadi Palanisamy is the AIADMK General secretary and the Opposition leader of the Tamil Nadu Assembly. At the same time, O Panneerselvam has joined TTV Dhinakaran, the General secretary of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam.