The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce on Thursday its judgment on the AIADMK dispute between former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and deposed party coordinator O. Panneerselvam.
A Bench, led by Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, would pronounce the verdict in a batch of cross petitions concerning amendments made to the party bylaws during the July 11, 2022 general council meeting. The judgment was reserved on January 11, 2023, after extensive hearing.
The amendments under contest had led to the appointment of Mr. Palaniswami, represented by senior advocate Aryama Sundaram and advocates Balaji Srinivasan and Rohini Musa, as the party’s interim general secretary. The changes in the bylaws also abolished the post of party coordinator, occupied by Mr. Panneerselvam.
Earlier last year, Mr. Palaniswami had said election to the post of general secretary of the party would not be held till the tussle between him and Mr. Panneerselvam over the party’s leadership was decided by the court.
Last year, a Division Bench of the Madras High Court had set aside an order passed by a Single Judge on August 17 in favour of Mr. Panneerselvam. The Division Bench had allowed the appeals challenging the verdict of the Single Judge of the High Court, who had nullified the party’s July 11 general council meeting.
Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar and Guru Krishnakumar had appeared for Mr. Panneerselvam. Mr. Kumar has maintained that his client continues to be the coordinator of the party and that his five-year tenure would end only in December 2026.
