NEW DELHI: Following a request from the Sasikala faction, the poll panel has postponed the hearing in the ‘Two-Leaves’ symbol case to Monday on October 16 from October 13.
EC officials said that the Sasikala faction of the AIADMK will present its arguments before the Election Commission in the party symbol dispute case on October 16.
In the first hearing on October 6, the counsel of the merged faction, headed by O Panneerselvam and E Palanaswami, had presented arguments staking claim over the party's symbol.
The EC had then scheduled the second hearing on October 13 to listen to arguments of the respondents. According to the counsel of the Sasikala faction, the EC had agreed to take up cross-examination of those who had filed fresh affidavits in support of the EPS-OPS camp in the next hearing.
Earlier, the Supreme Court on October 6 directed the EC to settle the dispute before November 10 and allowed it to proceed with the scheduled hearing in the case on the same day.
Last month, the Madras High Court had directed the Commission to decide before October 31 the matter relating to the AIADMK symbol. After scrutinizing the documents, the poll panel has to decide which faction enjoyed majority in the ruling party in Tamil Nadu.
The poll watchdog had in March issued an interim order freezing the ’Two leaves’ symbol of the AIADMK. It had said that the rival factions cannot use the party symbol as well as its name for the R K Nagar assembly bypoll. Thereafter, the EPS and OPS factions ended their differences even as the Sasikala camp is still opposed to the merger.