Jolt for OPS as Madras HC refuses to interfere in AIADMK meet

Chennai, June 22 In a major setback to AIADMK's Coordinator and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, the Madras High Court on Wednesday refused to interfere in the party's General Council meeting to be held here on Thursday.

It also refused to restrain the General Council from amending the party's by-laws. The by-laws were to be amended for paving the way for a single leadership.

A bench of Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy said: "It is for the General Council and the members to pass resolutions and this court cannot interfere with the process of conducting the General Council meeting. Therefore this court is not inclined to pass any interim orders or directions except making it clear that the General Council meeting which is scheduled to be held on June 23 will go on."

Advocate Rajagopal, who represented Shanmugham, the co-petitioner with OPS, said that AIADMK has a by-law that mandates the agenda of the meeting be circulated before the General Council meeting but that was not done before the meeting called for June 23.

He argued that the K. Palaniswami faction was trying to amend the by-law and bring back the post of General Secretary that was abolished after the death of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa who held the post.

Rajagopal said that such an important decision cannot be taken without circulating the agenda to the members before the General Council meeting.

He also said that the General Council meeting can take place but no important decision cannot be taken in it.

Panneerselvam wanted the meeting to be postponed and had insisted on the continuation of dual leadership of the party. However, the faction led by Joint Co-ordinator and former Chief Minister Palaniswami insisted on amending the by-law and bringing back the post of General Secretary for single leadership.

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