CHENNAI: In a rare and unprecedented gesture, Justice N Anand Venkatesh of Madras High Court on Friday invited PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss and his son, who has now turned his bete noire Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, to come to his chamber in the evening for a “discussion”.
The judge made the “request” to the respective counsels to ensure that both the father and son visit him at 5.30 pm on Friday, August 8, 2025 - when a petition filed by General Secretary Murali Shankar seeking to prohibit Dr Anbumani from holding the general council meeting he has scheduled for Saturday at Mahabalipuram came up for hearing.
When advocate Arul, representing Murali Shankar, began to place his arguments, the judge interjected to say he had a request.
“Considering the background of the case, I can dispose of this petition within ten minutes but I don’t want to so,” Justice Venkatesh said, asking the counsels whether it would be possible for Ramadoss and Anbumani to be present at his chamber today. The judge said he was making the request “in the interest of everyone”.
He told the counsels that he would be talking to the two leaders individually one by one and none of the party functionaries or any others would be allowed to be present during the meeting. “Nobody should be present except Ramadoss and Anbumani Ramadoss,” the judge said.
He made it clear that it is “not a direction” but “only a request”.
Following this, Anbumani's camp has confirmed that he will honour the judge's request and be there at 5:30 pm. The response from the opposite camp is awaited.
Meanwhile, sources closer to Dr Ramadoss said, as of 3 pm, he remained at his residence in Thailapuram in Villupuram district, located roughly 150 kilometres away from the Madras High Court.
While his camp has not officially confirmed whether he would meet Justice Anand Venkatesh or not, sources said he is unlikely to travel to Chennai at the moment.
Dr Ramadoss, the founder of PMK, which has significant sections of the Vanniyar community as its core voter base, and his son, who became president of the party in 2022, have recently waged an open and all-out battle on who should be in control of the party.
The founder recently took charge as the party president since the three-year tenure of Dr Anbumani came to an end. This was done by amending the bylaws of the party. The latter, however, has contended that he continued to be the president, as only the general council has the power to elect the president.
Dr Ramadoss has accused his son of eavesdropping by implanting gadgets in his residence in Thailapuram in Villupuram district and has approached the police with a complaint in this regard. While the father has been openly critical of his son, Dr Anbumani has restrained from attacking his father in public.
Ramadoss moved the High Court through the general secretary he recently appointed, Murali Shankar, seeking to restrain Anbumani from going ahead with the general council.
The petitioner stated that Anbumani was appointed as president of the party on May 28, 2022, for a period of three years, and the tenure ended on May 28, 2025. The appointment of the key office-bearers of the party is done by the founder on the advice of the chief administrative committee, state executive committee and state general body as per the party’s bylaws.
Since a new president has to be appointed to run the affairs of the party, Dr Ramadoss was nominated to the post on May 30, 2025 and assumed charge, accordingly, by taking into account the responsibilities and challenges ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.
Subsequently, the administrative committee meeting was held on July 5, 2025, in which 21 members participated; As many as 1440 office-bearers participated in the executive committee on July 7. As many resolutions, including resolution no. 11, were passed. As per the resolution, Rule 13 of the bylaws was amended relating to the powers of the founder of the party, the petitioner said.
The amended bylaw empowered the founder to assume office as the president of the party on expiry of the term of the president and the founder alone is empowered to appoint key office-bearers of the party for the smooth functioning of the party organisation and its administration.
The founder alone is empowered to convene all emergency and ordinary meetings of the party’s bodies, Shankar said terming Anbumani’s call for a general council meeting “as an extremely illegal act” since the founder-cum-president Ramadoss had already announced that the general council will meet on August 17.