CHENNAI: The Madras High Court is going to hear on Thursday the petitions filed by AIADMK leaders Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam seeking to quash the orders of the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) to seal the party's headquarters and hand it back to them.
The criminal original petitions have been listed for hearing before Justice N Sathish Kumar. The counsels for Palaniswami and Panneerselvam made a mention of the petitions seeking urgent hearing on Tuesday, a day after the party office at Royapettah in Chennai was sealed by the RDO following a fiery clash between supporters of the two leaders. However, the judge had told them the petitions would be heard if they were filed.
It was expected that the petitions would be taken up for hearing on Wednesday, but they were not listed. When the counsel for Palaniswami made a mention before the judge, he said it should come through the proper course as per the directions of the Chief Justice since the petition was filed by an MLA. The same reply was given to the counsel of Panneerselvam.
With the petitions of the leaders, who engaged in a bitter fight for supremacy in the party, listed for hearing, both sides are locking horns again in a legal fight. It may be recalled that Panneerselvam's efforts to preempt Palaniswami from becoming the interim general secretary at the July 11 general council (GC) did not bear the desired results since the high court on Monday said it wouldn't interfere in the affairs of a political party.
Subsequently, Palaniswami was elected as the interim general secretary at the GC meeting. Shortly before the coronation of Palaniswami, Panneerselvam stormed the party office amid a clash between supporters, leading to the premises being sealed.