No elections for general secretary post till SC hearing: AIADMK leader EPS

“Everything can be done in the manner as prescribed under the bye-laws. But in the meantime see if further things are not aggravated. You (EPS) continue as in charge,” Justice Shah told EPS counsel.
Edappadi K Palaniswami (right) and O Panneerselvam. (File Photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)
Edappadi K Palaniswami (right) and O Panneerselvam. (File Photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)

NEW DELHI: Former Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) who is currently AIADMK’s interim general secretary on Friday assured SC that there shall be no elections to the post of party’s General Secretary till the matter is heard by the top court.

Palaniswami’s assurance came in a petition filed by O Panneerselvam (OPS) challenging Madras HC’s September 2 verdict that restored EPS as the party’s single leader.

While recording Palaniswami’s assurance, the bench of Justices MR Shah and Krishna Murari also sought a response from EPS in the petition.

Terming the interpretation in September 2 order as erroneous, Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar for OPS urged the bench to pass an interim order of status quo.

“On interim relief, they (EPS faction) should not do anything more detriment,” Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar said.

Considering Kumar’s contention, Justice MR Shah said, “Everything can be done in the manner as prescribed under the bye-laws. But in the meantime see if further things are not aggravated. You (EPS) continue as incharge.”

With these remarks, the bench posted for November 21 OPS’s current petition along with another plea where SC on July 6 had clarified that further meetings of the general council could proceed in accordance with the law.

On September 2, 2022, a division bench of Justices M Duraiswamy and Sunder Mohan in the appeal preferred by EPS had set aside a single judge’s order dated August 17 that nullified the results of the July 11 General Council and ordered status quo ante as on June 23 in AIADMK affairs. As a result of the resolution passed by the General Council, EPS had become the single leader of the party and had discarded AIADMK’s dual leadership mode of functioning.

As per the dual mode, OPS and EPS were coordinators and joint coordinators respectively. This was in effect since the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha.

The division bench in its 127-page order observed that a single judge’s order had created a functional deadlock in the party as there was no possibility for EPS and OPS to act jointly.

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