SC allows Palaniswami to continue as AIADMK interim general secretary

The Supreme Court on Thursday (February 23) upheld the order of the Madras High Court which allowed Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) to continue as the interim general secretary of the AIADMK. A bench of Justices Dinesh Maheswari and Hrishikesh Roy had reserved judgment on the matter on January 12.

The top court dismissed the petitions filed by O Panneerselvam (OPS). The judgement came on a batch of pleas concerning amendments made to the party bylaws during the July 11, 2022 general council meeting.

AIADMK leadership row | The plea filed by OPS dismissed. Supreme Court affirmed the order passed by a division bench of the Madras High Court on September 2: Balaji Srinivasan, Lawyer of EPS faction on SC allowing EPS to continue as AIADMK Interim General Secretary pic.twitter.com/7XNomtiOmx

— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2023

“Having regard to the circumstances and the scope of these appeals, we have not found it necessary to deal with any of the impleadment applications moved in these matters and we would leave it open for all such applicants to take appropriate remedy in accordance with law,” the Supreme Court said.

Also read: Palaniswami is AIADMKs top leader, HC quashes order in favour of Panneerselvam

Justice Maheshwari, while reading out the order, clarified that the Court’s observations were related to the interim orders passed by the High Court and that they would not have any bearing on the suit that was pending in the High Court related to the disputes between O Panneerselvam and E Palaniswami.

The Court has left all the other issues open to be decided in the suit, and clarified that it had not dealt with the contentions regarding the validity of the general council meeting of July 11, 2022.

#WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | Supporters of Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) faction burst into celebrations as Supreme Court allowed EPS to continue as AIADMK's Interim General Secretary pic.twitter.com/HA2u9rzyi4

— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2023

Last year, Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) was elected as AIADMK’s interim general secretary in the general council meeting after the high court had rejected a plea by O Panneerselvam (OPS). The court had observed that it could not interfere in the internal disputes of a political party.

Celebrations at AIADMK office

Meanwhile, celebrations broke out at the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai as EPS’ supporters welcomed the apex court verdict with jubilation.

Amid increased police presence at the MGR Maaligai, the AIADMK headquarters, supporters of EPS burst crackers and poured milk on a cutout of the AIADMK interim general secretary.

Senior AIADMK leader and former minister D Jayakumar said that in the “battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas”, it is the former who won, in an apparent reference to the Mahabharatha epic.

He also termed the SC ruling as a historic verdict. Asked what Paneerselvam’s political future would be, Jayakumar gestured a zero.

‘Betrayers unmasked’

In a veiled attack at Panneerselvam, a grinning Palaniswami said, “some Ettappars (a Tamil reference to betrayers) who worked as DMK’s B-team and wanted to finish off the AIADMK have been unmasked today. Many said AIADMK has no future (in the wake of the 2021 electoral defeat and in-party squabbles) and all that has ended with verdicts by the Supreme Court and the High Court,” he said.

The AIADMK is no more “three or four,” but was one united entity, he said, even as he exuded confidence of the party winning the February 27 Erode East bypoll.