EC to hear dispute over AIADMK symbol on Oct 5

New Delhi:  The Election Commission will hear the dispute over the ‘two leaves’ symbol of the AIADMK on October 5, six months after it was frozen when the two warring factions of the party had staked claim to it.
The EC has given the rival factions time till September 29 to file fresh submissions.

The commission has directed all involved in the dispute to submit the list of general council members and central executive committee members of the party as on December 5, 2016. The two factions have so far submitted around 10 lakh affidavits staking claim to the symbol and the title of the party.

“Now, the EC will hear the two parties on October 5,” a commission spokesperson said. The Madras High Court had last week directed the Election Commission to decide before October 31 the matter related to the AIADMK symbol.

It had directed the EC to decide which faction enjoyed majority in the ruling party in Tamil Nadu and allot the ‘two leaves’ symbol to it before October 31. The two factions led by O Panneerselvam and V K Sasikala had staked claim to the symbol.

Later, a large group of legislators led by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami revolted against Sasikala, who is in jail in a graft case, and announced merger of the two factions. Resolutions ousting Sasikala as interim general secretary and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran as her deputy were also adopted at the party’s general council meeting held on Septeber 12.

However, the faction led by Sasikala and Dhinakaran has claimed before the EC that these resolutions were invalid.