NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: In a big victory to the AIADMK, the Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed the pleas filed TTV Dhinakaran and VK Sasikala challenging the Election Commission’s order granting the party name and ‘two leaves’ symbol to the faction led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, E Madhusudhanan and O Panneerselvam.
Citing figures that showed the Palaniswami-led group had clear majority, a bench of justices GS Sistani and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said: “None of the grounds of challenge raised by the Dhinakaran- Sasikala faction were made out and there was no infirmity in the poll panel’s order allotting the party name and symbol to the group led by Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam.” AMMK deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran said he would challenge the verdict in Supreme Court. “Symbol is immaterial for us... We will win the elections on any symbol,” he added.
The High Court has asked the poll panel not to allot the ‘pressure cooker’ symbol, which was allotted to Dhinakaran in the last by-poll, to any other party for 15 days, so that he can approach the apex court. A beaming Palaniswami said: “The Delhi HC verdict has confirmed that we are the real AIADMK.”
Reacting to the Delhi High Court's verdict on the two leaves symbol in Avinashi, a beaming Palaniswami said: "The Delhi HC verdict has confirmed that we are the real AIADMK. Many have attempted to destroy this party and today the court gave a good solution. The AIADMK will, hereafter, will march majestically." The High Court has upheld the Election Commission's decision of November 23, 2017.
Asked what if the TTV Dhinakaran side challenged the verdict, a confident Palaniswami said, "Wherever they go, both sides will submit the same evidences and the court will decide on that basis only. Already, the EC has given a clear-cut order and the Delhi HC has upheld that today."
Meanwhile, at Puducherry, TTV Dhinakaran, told reporters that symbol was immaterial for a party which had an overwhelming support of the people. He said AMMK candidates would win the elections on any independent symbol in every constituency. However, he expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would give a favourable order in this regard.
Talking to Express, senior functionary of the AMMK P Vetrivel said, "The Delhi HC verdict is not final with regard to the leadership of AIADMK. We are moving the SC. We will get justice there." At Delhi, Raja Senthoor Pandian, senior counsel for the AMMK, clarified the issues. He said the judges already ordered that the 'Cooker' symbol should not be allocated to any other party in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the next 15 days. "Further, we will move a special leave petition before the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi HC verdict. In the interim period, as per the Delhi HC's single judge order and the recent SC order, there will be no impediment to allocating the 'Cooker' symbol to Dhinakaran."
"On going through the rules and regulations of the party, it is clear that the party has a democratic set-up...Hence, we do not find any fault with the decision of the Commission to apply the majority test," the court in its 69 page order.