The Election Commission has asked Sasikala to file her own reply to a complaint against her appointment as the party chief, while rejecting the response filed by AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran.
Citing that Dhinkaran was not an office-bearer of the party since he was readmitted and elevated to the position just hours before his aunt left for prison, the EC directed Sasikala to file her own response or depute someone to do so on her behalf, as per a report in the New Indian Express.
The EC had issued a notice seeking a response to the complaint against Sasikala’s appointment as the party leader.
Sasikala, who is lodged at the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru, has been asked to file her response by March 10.
After his aunt was lodged in prison, Dhinkaran has been the de facto leader of the party. He had filed five replies, including one on February 20 and the rest on February 28.
“Communications from the party should be signed by an authorised office-bearer. Hence, the reply should either be submitted under your own signature or you may duly authorize somebody to do so on your behalf. This may be submitted latest by March 10,” the notice said.
For the rival camp led by O Panneerselvam who had challenged the validity of Sasikala’s appointment as the general secretary of the party before the EC, this can be construed as a small moral victory.
S Senthil, one of the lawyers who filed the AIADMK’s reply, said, “We will file the proper reply, along with the authorisation from Sasikala, to the commission on March 6 or latest by March 7.”
Update: Speaking at the party HQ, AIADMK Dy Gen Secy TTV Dhinakaran said reacting to the EC's reply, "I have already said, we will file a reply to election commission with the authorisation of the General Secretary (Sasikala)."