Madras High Court advances hearing of appeals filed by O. Panneerselvsm, three others, from April 20 to 12

The Madras High Court on Monday agreed to advance the hearing of appeals preferred by AIADMK expelled leaders O. Panneerselvam and three others, from April 20 to April 12, since it was represented that the party had decided to conduct its executive committee meeting on April 16.

The Madras High Court on Monday agreed to advance the hearing of appeals preferred by AIADMK expelled leaders O. Panneerselvam and three others, from April 20 to April 12, since it was represented that the party had decided to conduct its executive committee meeting on April 16.

The Third Division Bench of Justices R. Mahadevan and Mohammed Shaffiq accepted a request made by senior counsel Guru Krishnakumar, representing the appellants, for an early hearing of the appeals with a rider that the hearing would be confined to the conduct of the executive committee meeting and not on the merits of the appeals.

Mr. Panneerselvam, P.H. Manoj Pandian, R. Vaithilingam and J.C.D. Prabhakar had filed the appeals against the refusal of Justice K. Kumaresh Babu to grant an interim injunction restraining the party from implementing certain resolutions passed at its general council meeting held on July 11, 2022 and the consequent election to the post of general secretary.

The resolutions passed by the general council had abolished the posts of coordinator and joint coordinator, which were held by Mr. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palanaiswami respectively and revived the post of general secretary to which Mr. Palaniswami was declared elected unopposed immediately after the single judge refused to grant an injunction.

A special resolution passed by the general council had expelled the four leaders from the party for the charge of acting against its interests. Though the single judge, prima facie, found infraction of the party bylaws in the expulsion without issuing a notice, he refused to pass an order of interim injunction on the ground that it would be detrimental to the interests of the party.

The Division Bench led by Justice Mahadevan had on April 3 decided to take up the appeals, against the single judge’s decision, for final hearing on April 20 and 21.