The counsel for TTV Dhinakaran’s faction submitted their arguments over the two leaves symbol issue on Wednesday and asked for more time for further arguments. Following this, the Election Commission of India (ECI) posted the next hearing for November 6.
The Supreme Court has directed the ECI to give its final order on the two leaves symbol issue by November 10.
The New Indian Express reported that the counsel of TTV Dhinakaran’s faction, Vijay Hansaria, took the whole day on Wednesday to submit the arguments and sought for more time to submit the views from sidelined AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala.
Moreover, the counsel argued that only affidavits filed as per the electoral body’s order dated March 22 must be taken into consideration. EC had ordered to freeze the AIADMK symbol on March 22 and asked the factions to submit proof of support by April 17. Later, the deadline was extended to June 16, reported The Hindu.
Vijay Hansaria said that Madhusudhanan and others, who had earlier elected former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa as the interim general secretary in 1989, had filed this case now against Sasikala, hiding the fact that an interim general secretary could be appointed for the AIADMK and there was a precedent for this.
He also added that under rule 43, only primary members could elect the general secretary and this basic tenet of the party constitution cannot be altered anytime. So, removing a person from the general secretary post is against party rules, he said, reported TNIE.
He also stated that the Madras High Court had said while allowing general council meeting on September 12 that the decisions would be bound by its final decision. And, he said now the ruling party is approaching ECI to get an endorsement for the decisions taken at the general council meeting.
In March, the Election Commission had frozen the two leaves symbol after two factions led by VK Sasikala and O Panneerselvam had staked claim to it. Thousands of affidavits were filed by both the factions following this.
However, in August, two factions led by O Panneerselvam and Edappadi Palaniswami joined hands and asked the Election Commission to withdraw the affidavits filed by them earlier.