Chennai, Jul 5 (PTI) AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam on Tuesday moved the Madras High Court with a civil suit to stall the conduct of party general council meeting by the Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) faction here on July 11.

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The suit will come up before Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy on Wednesday.

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The suit requested the court to pass an order of ad-interim injunction restraining the respondents from convening the alleged General Council meeting of the AIADMK party, which is scheduled to be held on July 11 based on an anonymous notice dated July 1, 2022 pending disposal of the suit.

Claiming himself to be the party Coordinator, OPS contended he is filing the suit as well as the interlocutory applications only for the welfare of the party and by no stretch of imagination it can be construed as being filed against its interests.

In a fallout of the single leadership demand in the party, the dominant EPS faction has said Panneerselvam ceased to be the Coordinator and Palaniswami the joint coordinator following the June 23 general council meet. The EPS faction has also summoned the next GC on July 11, ostensibly to elect Palaniswami as a single leader that day.

Convening that meet is illegal and in contravention to the bye laws of the party, surreptitiously maneuvered by respondents including Palaniswami and A Tamil Magan Hussain, the temporary Presidium Chairman, OPS said.

In gross violation of the order passed by a division bench, in the GC meeting on June 23, the 23 items mentioned in the draft resolutions were mischievously altered and undemocratically rejected by the council members. Much worse, the respondents in willful disobedience of the Court's order introduced a new resolution bereft of the authorisation of the Co-Ordinator and Joint Co-Ordinator (EPS), appointed Hussain to the post of Permanent Presidium Chairman illegally. Apart from this, the Meeting was held in an inappropriate manner which completely spoiled the dignity of the party, Panneerslevam submitted.

The very appointment of Hussain as the permanent presidium chairman is purely contemptuous.

Despite interim directions of the court, the respondents are deliberately and maliciously attempting to convene the illegal meet on July 11 to alter the bye laws of the party to one person's unlawful advantage. If the same is permitted to be convened, the very basic structure and the spirit of the party cadres and the future of the AIADMK will be permanently damaged, OPS contended.

In utter disregard of the party bye-laws and in an attempt to usurp the powers of the Co-Ordinator and Joint Co- Ordinator, the office-bearers of the party Head Quarters, represented by Head Quarters Secretary Palaniswami, has issued the illegal and unlawful notice inviting him and other council members to the July 11 meeting, based on an alleged requisition made by 1/5 th of the members of the Council on June 23.

As per Rule 19 (vii), it is only the Co-Ordinator and the Joint Co-Ordinator who are vested with the power to convene the special meeting based on requisition.

Even in the absence of the duo, no other office-bearer or council member is vested with the power to convene the meeting.

In the event of illegal and undemocratic amendments taking place, irreparable loss shall occur and the same can never be compensated in terms of money. On the other hand, no prejudice will be caused to the other faction, if the meeting is injuncted, OPS added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)