E-Paper
EPS issues OPS a legal notice
A general council meeting of the AIADMK, held on July 11 where EPS enjoyed a brute majority, expelled OPS from primary membership of the party and abolished the dual leadership positions. Then OPS’ supporters and two sons, including AIADMK’s lone MP O Ravindranath, were expelled
Chennai: AIADMK’s interim general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) has issued a legal notice to expelled leader O Panneerselvam (OPS), accusing him of forgery, misrepresentation and “cheap tactics”. The notice, though sent to him on December 20, came to light on Thursday, a day after OPS held a meeting with his faction and challenged EPS to launch his own party if he was indeed popular.
The notice says that OPS has no right to use the name of the AIADMK, its address, the letterhead and seal of the party since he has been expelled.
OPS’ announcement on December 17, using the AIADMK’s letterhead and seal, for a party meeting of its office-bearers and district secretaries on December 21, which he shared on his Twitter handle, is what provoked the legal notice. “My client (EPS) also states that you have forged the official seal of the headquarters of the AIADMK party and have affixed the said forged seal on the notice dated December 17, apart from claiming that the said notice was issued with your concurrence as the party coordinator, treasurer and former chief minister,” the notice read. “My client states that without any rhyme or reason, you have resorted to cheap tactics of forging the seal of the headquarters of the AIADMK party and the letterhead of the party, which is wholly a criminal act, liable for punishment in law.”
A general council meeting of the AIADMK, held on July 11 where EPS enjoyed a brute majority, expelled OPS from the primary membership of the party and abolished the dual leadership positions. Subsequently OPS’ supporters and two sons, including AIADMK’s lone MP O Ravindranath, were also expelled.
“First of all, my client states that no such post of coordinator exists in the AIADMK party as on date, and secondly, my client states that you are a stranger to the party and thus have no right to call yourself a coordinator of the AIADMK party,” the notice read.
When OPS had gone to court against his expulsion, the Madras high court in its order on September 12 upheld the resolution passed in the general council choosing EPS as its interim general secretary and expelling him. OPS has challenged this in the Supreme Court where the case is pending and EPS faction has given their submission that they will not conduct an internal election for the post of general secretary until further orders. The Madras high court also identified EPS to be in possession of the AIADMK’s headquarters in Chennai.
“Apart from the criminal nature of your conduct, you have also deliberately and wilfully acted in contravention in the orders of the high court and Supreme Court that will also attract several civil and other consequences in law,” the notice read. “My client (EPS) states that your conduct is a wilful disobedience of the order of the Division Bench dated 02.09.2022 and my client reserves their right to initiate appropriate contempt proceedings before the court in this regard as well.”
