HC adjourns OPS' plea against AIADMK GC meeting

CHENNAI: Hours after the Supreme Court cleared decks for Edappadi K Palaniswami's faction to convene the July 11 general council meeting of AIADMK, Justice Krishnan Ramasamy of Madras High Court adjourned O Panneerselvam's plea against the GC meeting to Thursday for furnishing the Apex Court's order.

The judge directed the registry to list the matter on Thursday for a special hearing at 2.15 PM.

Justice Krishnan Ramasamy passed the directions on hearing a batch of writ petitions filed by several people, including party coordinator OPS and others.

The petitioners sought a direction to stall the AIADMK general council meeting called by the EPS faction.

When the matter was taken for hearing, senior advocate Guru Krishnakumar submitted that the Apex Court has granted them the liberty to approach the HC for getting relief in connection with their plea to restrain the GC meeting of AIADMK.

Recording the submissions, the judge observed that the petitioners could not demand the court for an immediate hearing.

Former Advocate-General S Vijay Narayan, appearing for EPS informed the HC that SC had upheld the HC order dated June 22 and the July 11 GC meeting may go on.

"The SC made it clear that the courts could not intervene in the intraparty affairs of the AIADMK, " the senior counsel noted.

OPS's counsel submitted that the General Council meeting was called without the joint consent of the Coordinator and Joint Coordinator of AIADMK.

"After the demise of AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa, the post of General Secretary was abolished in AIADMK. On September 9, 2017, Rules 19 and 20 of party bye-laws were amended to create coordinator and joint coordinator positions. The amendment was made in a way shifting the powers of the General Secretary to the coordinator and joint coordinator. Therefore, the coordinator and joint coordinator have to jointly call for the GC meeting," OPS counsel argued.