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SC upholds HC order allowing EPS to remain AIADMK’s interim general secretary
On July 11, AIADMK’s general council named EPS the sole leader of the party and removed OPS from the joint coordinator’s post
The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the Madras high court’s September 2 order that allowed former Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palaniswami, popularly known as EPS, to remain All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) interim general secretary.
A division bench of the high court set aside a single judge bench’s order that favoured his rival O Panneerselvam (OPS). OPS moved the Supreme Court against the division bench’s order.
On July 11, AIADMK’s general council, the party’s highest decision-making body, named EPS the sole leader of the party and removed OPS from the joint coordinator’s post.
A Supreme Court bench of justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Hrishikesh Roy on Thursday clarified that the decision to remove OPS was not an issue before it and left it open for an appropriate court to take it up.
The bench said its decision will not be treated as deciding in favour of any party and the suit pending on this issue will be decided on its own merits.
In July, EPS won the battle for the AIADMK leadership after the Madras high court rejected the plea of his rival-turned-ally-turned-rival OPS to stall the general council meeting.
EPS was named interim general secretary, a position once occupied by stalwarts MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa.
OPS, a three-time acting chief minister of the state, was expelled from the party. After clashes between supporters of the two leaders at the AIADMK headquarters, the building was sealed.
OPS, who was treasurer of the party, was replaced by Dindigul Srinivasan. Senior party leaders JCD Prabhakar, R Vaithilingam, and PH Manoj Pandian, OPS’ main supporters, were also expelled.
OPS’s removal ended five-and-a-half years of hyphenated leadership of the party. A majority of the AIADMK’s leadership backed EPS, saying the dual leadership model has not worked.
OPS has also been accused of flirting with the state’s ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and going soft on VK Sasikala, a friend, and companion of Jayalalithaa.
