HC orders status quo in AIADMK, restores OPS top post
The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered status quo as of June 23 in the AIADMK affairs, ruling as invalid the party’s July 11 General Council (GC) meeting, which had passed the resolution elevating ex-Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) as its interim general secretary.
Dealing a blow to EPS, the court’s ruling gave a major reprieve to his AIADMK rival O Panneerselvam (OPS) as the latter was not only removed from the party’s top post of coordinator but was also removed from its primary membership by the EPS camp in the wake of the July 11 GC meeting.
Justice G Jayachandran’s order came on petitions filed by OPS and GC member Vairamuthu, which questioned the legality of holding the July 11 meeting of the GC, the party’s highest body.
The court’s order said there shall not be any GC meet of the party without the joint consent of coordinator OPS and joint coordinator EPS.
“There shall be no impediment for the coordinator and the joint coordinator on their own to convene the General Council meeting jointly to decide the affairs of the party including amendment of the party constitution restoring single leadership,” the order said.