Madras HC allows AIADMK poll proceedings, directs not to declare results

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 19 : The Madras High Court on Sunday said that AIADMK could continue the election proceedings for the General Secretary post but directed that the results could not be announced.
The Madras HC was hearing the petition filed on Saturday by the O Panneerselvam faction against the election to the post of AIADMK's general secretary.
The order issued by Justice K Kumaresh Babu of Madras HC said that the results of General Secretary elections should not be declared till the disposal of applications filed by Manoj Pandian and others seeking interim relief.
The court decided to continue arguments on the interim plea on March 22.
The election to the post of general secretary of AIADMK is slated to take place on March 26.
In a statement on Saturday, the OPS faction stated, "Against the AIADMK bylaw, the election to the post of General Secretary was announced which is illegal. We have filed a petition against this in Madras High Court which is to be heard on Sunday."
The statement further added, "Meanwhile few people are spreading the news that AIADMK Coordinator O Pannerselvam has also filed nomination for the General Secretary post. This is only to create confusion among the cadres. This is totally false news."
Earlier, AIADMK had announced that the polls to elect the party General Secretary will be held on March 26.
A release signed by the party's election officers, R Vishwanathan and Pollachi Jeyaraman, stated, "(The) General Secretary would be elected by primary members of the party and candidates can file their nominations from. The last day for filing nominations is March 19 and scrutiny of nominations will be held on March 20. Candidates can withdraw their nominations till 3 pm on March 21. The election will be held on March 26 and counting of votes will take place on March 27."
"It is also noted that according to the AIADMK Party bylaw 20(A) section 2, the party General Secretary would be elected by the primary members of the party. And also Interested cadres can get the application from the party headquarters in Royapettah on payment of Rs 25,000," the statement read.
Earlier in March, the Madras High Court refused to pass an interim order on a plea by former chief minister O Panneerselvam's confidante, Manoj Pandian, seeking an interim stay on the resolutions passed at the AIADMK General Council meeting on July 11 last year.
At the meeting, Edapaddi Palaniswami (EPS) was made the interim general secretary of the party.
Since the death of former chief minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary J Jayalalithaa, the party had a dual leadership, with OPS and EPS leading the AIADMK as coordinator and joint coordinator respectively. However, recently, disputes arose between both leaders, with the EPS group pressing for single leadership.