Madras High Court Upholds Expulsion of OPS from AIADMK
In a significant ruling, the Madras High Court has dismissed the appeals filed by former Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister and suspended AIADMK leader, O Panneerselvam (commonly referred to as OPS), challenging his expulsion from the party. The decision has been seen as a major setback for OPS and his supporters.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The division bench, comprising Justices R Mahadevan and Mohammed Shaffiq, upheld the resolutions passed during the AIADMK’s general council meeting on July 11, 2022. During this pivotal meeting, the party decided to end the dual-leadership model and subsequently appointed Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami (EPS) as the interim general secretary. OPS and his supporters were expelled from the party for “anti-party” activities.
Advocate Inbadurai, representing AIADMK general secretary EPS, commented on the judgment, stating,
“Today the division bench rendered a judgment stating that AIADMK general council’s resolutions are valid. So hereafter AIADMK will be headed only by Edappadiyar. He will be the leader of AIADMK. That is approved by the High Court order.”
He further added,
“We only argued that AIADMK’s general council is the superior authority. And this superior authority has decided Edappadiyar to be the leader and it was now accepted by the High Court.”
The bench, while delivering its verdict, mentioned,
“In its February 23 order, the Supreme Court has upheld the validity of the General Council meeting and said the details of the resolution have to be gone into at the time of the hearing of the suit. Any grounds for interim injunction are therefore, automatically out.”
The court’s decision has been met with jubilation at the AIADMK headquarters, where party cadres celebrated by bursting crackers, distributing sweets, and raising slogans in favor of EPS. This development further solidifies EPS’s position within the AIADMK, especially after the Election Commission of India endorsed him as the general secretary of the party.
The backdrop to this legal battle is a graphic video that went viral, showcasing two Manipuri women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted. This incident, among others, prompted the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance of the situation in Manipur.
As the political landscape of Tamil Nadu continues to evolve, the implications of this judgment will undoubtedly shape the future dynamics of the AIADMK and its leadership.
