The Delhi High Court on Tuesday told the Election Commission not to decide on former AIADMK spokesperson K.C. Palanisamy’s representation, seeking an election to the post of General Secretary of the AIADMK by primary members, till September 13.
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Rekha Palli issued the direction on a plea moved by Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, challenging an August 10 High Court order that asked the poll panel to decide on Mr. Palanisamy’s representation in four weeks.
The Counsel appearing for Mr. Panneerselvam argued that the August 10 order was passed without hearing his side of the case. The Counsel also contended that Mr. Palanisamy had not disclosed his expulsion from the party in his petition before the court.
As Mr. Palanisamy was not represented by anyone during the hearing, the bench listed the case for hearing on September 13 while directing the lawyers of Mr. Panneerselvam to ensure that a copy of their petition is provided to Mr. Palanisamy.
On August 10, a single bench of the High Court asked the poll panel to decide on the representation made by Mr. Palanisamy, who had sought to annul the amendment to the bylaws of the AIADMK, carried out through a resolution on September 12, 2017.
The former AIADMK MP said that the post of general secretary of the party fell vacant after the demise of Jayalalithaa in December 2016.
He pointed out that at the meeting of the general council of the AIADMK in September last year, the party made Jayalalithaa its eternal general secretary and abolished the post of general secretary.
“For all practical purposes, the powers of the general secretary were made to vest with the Co-ordinator and Joint Co-ordinator,” his plea had said.
Mr. Edappadi Palaniswamy is the current Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and Joint Co-ordinator of AIADMK and Mr. Paneerselvam is the Deputy Chief Minister.
Mr. Palanisamy, who was expelled from the party in March this year, has also challenged the expulsion of party members by the current office-bearers.
