Chennai: In a legal blow to AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the Madras High Court on Wednesday vacated the stay it had granted on January 9 against proceedings by the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding representations from expelled AIADMK members.
The case involves P Ravindranath (son of rebel leader O Panneerselvam), K.C. Palanisamy, Va Pugazhendi, and others who submitted individual complaints concerning intra-party issues. The court ruled that the ECI could now proceed with its inquiries but within strict limits.
The Third Division Bench of Justices R Subramanian and G Arul Murugan specified that the ECI must first determine if a legitimate dispute exists between factions before proceeding further.
Only if the ECI finds a dispute, as outlined in paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, can it then decide which faction should be recognized as the legitimate representative of AIADMK.
Paragraph 15 allows the ECI to intervene and resolve disputes within political parties, granting it the authority to determine which faction is entitled to use the party’s election symbol if rival groups claim the same.
The ruling follows a series of legal challenges initiated by AIADMK members. Initially, in February 2024, one S Surya Moorthi had petitioned the ECI to freeze the party’s ‘two leaves’ election symbol amid disputes over leadership. Later, the court disposed of a writ petition in December 2024, asking the ECI to consider his representation.
In early 2025, AIADMK contested additional notices issued by the ECI, questioning the Commission’s jurisdiction over intra-party matters, particularly as multiple civil suits were already pending. The court’s decision to lift the stay now paves the way for the ECI to proceed with the dispute resolution process within the legal framework.
