CHENNAI: A civil court in Chennai on Monday dismissed a petition filed by VK Sasikala challenging her removal as general secretary of the AIADMK.
The IV additional city civil court judge J Sridevi pronounced the verdict dismissing the petition filed by Sasikala while allowing three petitions filed by the AIADMK and its coordinator O Panneerselvam and joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami against her.
Sasikala, a close confidante of late Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa, challenged the party's general council resolution ousting her from the post of general secretary.
She was elected to the post in February 2017 after the demise of Jayalalithaa in 2016. However, things took an unexpected turn after the Supreme Court upheld her punishment in the disproportionate assets case.
After she was imprisoned in Bengaluru Central Prison, Panneerselvam, who staged a revolt, merged his outfit with the AIADMK led by Palaniswami.
A general council meeting passed resolutions expelling Sasikala from the post of general secretary and Panneerselvam and Palaniswami were elected as coordinator and joint coordinator by amending the bylaws of the party.
Subsequently, Sasikala approached the civil court seeking to quash the resolutions and revoke her removal.
During arguments, the AIADMK lawyers contended that the resolutions were upheld by the Supreme Court and accepted by the Election Commission of India as well.