CHENNAI: In yet another setback to deposed AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, the Madras High Court has dismissed the appeals filed by him against a single judge’s order restraining him temporarily from using the party’s flag, symbol and letterhead.
A division bench of Justices R Mahadevan and Mohammed Shaffiq on Thursday dismissed the appeal filed by Panneerselvam against the single judge’s order passed on November 7, 2023. The bench held that no appeals can be filed under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent when no final orders are passed by the single judge determining any right or liability affecting the merits of the dispute, and noted that the option was open to Panneerselvam to apply to the single judge bench itself to vacate the interim injunction.
It further noted that the judge had not passed any final orders in the petitions filed by Edappadi K Palaniswami on the matter. Moreover, the order passed by the single judge, as an interim measure, is based on sound discretion which cannot be normally interfered with by the appeals court unless it is pointed out that the order was based on irrelevant materials or on improper appreciation of facts of the case.
“Therefore, we do not find any infirmity or irregularity in the grant of interim injunction, that too for a limited period,” the bench said in the order. Justice N Sathish Kumar had granted the interim injunction against Panneerselvam on a suit and application filed by AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami who alleged that the deposed leader was not entitled to use the party’s flag, symbol and letterhead as he was expelled from the party.
AIADMK General Secretary welcomes Madras HC order on OPS pleas
COIMBATORE: AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday welcomed the Madras High Court’s order dismissing an appeal filed by expelled leader O Panneerselvam challenging a single judge’s November 7, 2023 order restraining him from using the party flag, symbol and letterhead.
EPS also dismissed reports that the party has already selected candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. “We have not released the list of 20 initial candidates list as reported in the media. The list will be selected by the party high committee based on the assessment of the winning chance of the candidates,” he noted. “We will form a good alliance and then the decision will be taken on the constituencies after the announcement of the elections,” EPS added.
Speaking to the reporters at Salem, EPS further flayed the state’s preparedness to meet natural calamities like the recent cyclone and floods in the state capital and elsewhere in Tamil Nadu. EPS also charged that the Tamil Nadu government had reduced the number of TNSTC buses being operated for women free of cost.