By Shilpa Nair: A day after the Delhi High Court directed the Election Commission of India to decide within 10 days on a petition by the AIADMK seeking to update and take on record the party’s amended bylaws, the party’s rival faction approached the poll body on Thursday.
After a protracted fight between E Palaniswami (EPS) and rival O Panneerselvam (OPS) for controlling the party, the Supreme Court had in February upheld a Madras High Court verdict allowing the former to continue as the AIADMK general secretary.
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On Thursday, OPS faction leader Pugazhenthi met EC officials and handed over a letter urging the poll body not to recognise the recent election of EPS as AIADMK general secretary.
In his complaint, Pugazhenthi pointed out that the resolutions adopted during the July 2022 general council meeting of the AIADMK is also under challenge in the courts. The July 11 meeting did away with dual leadership in the AIADMK. Further, OPS and his supporters were also expelled from the party.
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As per the current status, in the EC records, OPS continues to be the AIADMK coordinator and EPS is designated as Joint Coordinator.
The AIADMK (EPS) camp had approached the Delhi High Court seeking directions to the poll body to take on record the amended by-laws of the party as the party wants to contest in the Karnataka Assembly polls.
