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The Madras High Court on Friday refused to pass interim order on plea by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam's confidant Manoj Pandian seeking an interim stay on the resolutions passed at the AIADMK General Council meeting on July 11 last year, in which former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) has been made the interim general secretary of the party.
MLA and Advocate Manoj Pandian from Pannerselvam camp filed a plea requesting the court to cancel the resolution in which EPS was elected as interim general secretary. Likewise, the plea also requested the court to cancel the resolution which was passed to remove O Panneerselvam (OPS), Vaithialingam, JCD Prabhakar and Manoj Pandiyan. The plea of Manoj Pandiyan came for hearing before Justice Dinesh Maheshwari of Madras High Court on Friday. Justice Maheshwari noted that he is not expressing any opinion on the merits of the civil suit filed by PH Manoj Pandian and that he only wanted to hear AIADMK and EPS before taking a call on the application for interim injunction. Justice ordered to file counter reply at least two days before the next hearing on March 17. MLA and Advocate Manoj Pandian from Pannerselvam camp filed a plea requesting the court to cancel the resolution in which EPS was elected as interim general secretary. Likewise, the plea also requseted the court to cancel the resolution which was passed to remove O Panneerselvam (OPS), Vaithialingam, JCD Prabhakar and Manoj Pandian. Last month, the Supreme Court affirmed the Madras High Court division bench decision that restored EPS as the AIADMK party's single leader while rejecting Panneerselvam's plea allowing EPS to continue as the party's Interim General Secretary. The judgement was pronounced by a bench headed by justice Dinesh Maheshwari. The court was dealing with a batch of pleas relating to the tussle between former Chief Ministers O Panneerselvam (OPS) and EPS over AIADMK leadership. On January 11, the apex court bench reserved its verdict on the pleas relating to the tussle between the former Chief Ministers. OPS has moved the Supreme Court against Madras HC's decision that restored former Tamil Nadu chief minister EPS as the party's single leader. On September 2, 2022, a division bench of Madras HC in the appeal preferred by EPS had set aside a single judge's order dated August 17 that nullified the results of the July 11 general council and ordered status quo ante as on June 23 in AIADMK affairs. In its General Council meeting held on July 11, the dual-leadership model in the AIADMK was ended and OPS was expelled from the party for "anti-party" activities during the party meeting. In the meeting, EPS was elevated as the interim General Secretary of the party.Since the passing away of former Chief Minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) General Secretary J Jayalalithaa, the party has been having a dual leadership with OPS and EPS leading it as coordinator and joint coordinator respectively. However, recently, disputes arose between both leaders, with the EPS group pressing for unitary leadership. (ANI)
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