Madras High Court Orders Interim Ban on O. Panneerselvam’s Use of AIADMK Name, Flag, Symbol, and Letter Pad
The Madras High Court has recently issued an interim ban on former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam from using the name, flag, symbol, and letter pad of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party. The decision came after opposition leader and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami filed a petition seeking the ban.
In his petition, Palaniswami stated, “The High Court and the Election Commission have recognized me as AIADMK General Secretary. In this situation, O. Panneerselvam is calling me as AIADMK coordinator and is using AIADMK’s name and flag. Due to this, there is confusion among the activists. Therefore, the use of AIADMK name, flag, and symbol by O. Panneerselvam is prohibited. It should be imposed.”
The case has been under the scrutiny of the Madras High Court for the past two months. The court adjourned the hearing to today, following a request by O. Panneerselvam for more time to file a reply. Today, the case was brought before Justice Satishkumar.
During the hearing, Palaniswami argued that Panneerselvam continues to hold the same position even after being removed from the party. The judge addressed Panneerselvam, questioning, “How many times will you sue like this after that? Would you ask for more time? How many times do you make the same argument?”
Taking all these factors into consideration, Justice Satishkumar decided to impose an interim ban on O. Panneerselvam, preventing him from using the AIADMK name, flag, symbol, and letterhead.
This ruling signifies a significant development in the ongoing power struggle within the AIADMK party, with both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam claiming legitimacy as the leaders of the party. The court’s decision aims to bring clarity and prevent confusion among party activists.
The ban will be enforced until a final verdict is reached in the case. The resolution of this dispute will likely have far-reaching implications for the AIADMK party and its future direction.