CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the organisational polls in AIADMK recently held for electing the party's coordinator and co-coordinator saying the petition was not maintainable.
The first bench of Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice PD Audikesavalu pronounced the orders on the petition filed by an AIADMK cadre J Jayachandran of Hosur. The bench said the petition is dismissed finding it to be not maintainable and direction could be issued to the Election Commission of India (ECI) in reference to the internal election of a party.
Jayachandran had sought the court to stay the declaration of the outcome of the organisational polls, in which, former Chief Ministers O Panneerslevam and Edappadi K Palaniswami were elected unopposed to posts of the coordinator and co-coordinator respectively.
He further wanted the court to restrain the Election Commission of India (ECI) from recognising the poll outcome. The polling was scheduled to be held on Dec. 7 and counting on the next day. However, with none filing the nominations the incumbents were declared elected unopposed.
The petitioner stated that party rules were flouted in blocking, in a pre-emptive manner, others from obtaining the nomination papers denying the opportunity to fight the polls and the mandatory 21 days time was not given before holding the election.
He also said the list of 1.50 crores voters of the party not released. Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate NGR Prasad said the democratic norms were not followed in the elections of the party which was held in an arbitrary manner.
After listening to arguments, the bench reserved the orders on December 7. It may be noted that another writ petition challenging the conduct of the organisational of the principal opposition party of Tamil Nadu has been pending before a single judge bench.