The AIADMK on Friday announced the schedule for the election of general secretary.
It is expected that the election process will make Edappadi K. Palaniswami a full-fledged general secretary. At present, he is the interim general secretary.
In February, the Supreme Court, in its judgment, agreed with the Madras High Court’s order upholding the conduct of the general council meeting. Currently, the High Court is hearing suits filed by a couple of expelled members of the party on the decisions taken at the meeting such as expulsions of four members, including O. Panneerselvam.
The filing of nominations will begin on March 18 and conclude on March 19. The scrutiny of the papers will be taken up on March 20, while the last date for the withdrawal of nominations is Tuesday. If required, polling will be held on March 26 and the counting will take place the next day, according to the schedule.
Former Ministers Natham R. Viswanathan and Pollachi V. Jayaraman have been named the election commissioners.
Meanwhile, advocates representing expelled AIADMK leaders P.H. Manoj Pandian, R. Vaithilingam and J.C.D. Prabhakar decided to make a mention on Monday before Justice K. Kumaresh Babu of the Madras High Court for an early hearing of their plea for interim relief, since the party had notified the election to the post of general secretary.
All the three expelled leaders had filed individual civil suits in the High Court, challenging their expulsion and a few other resolutions passed at the party’s general council meeting held on July 11, when it was also decided to revive the post of general secretary and hold an election to it through a vote by the primary members.
Their suits were listed for hearing on Friday and arguments were advanced, pressing for urgent interim orders. However, the judge decided to take a call on grant of interim orders on April 11, after counter-affidavits were filed on behalf of the party, its general council and Mr. Palaniswami in all the three suits.
Then, senior counsel P.S. Raman, representing Mr. Vaithilingam and Mr. Prabhakar, apprehended that, in the meantime, the party might notify the election to the post of general secretary, and sought the leave of the court to make a mention for an early hearing of the case, in case of such an eventuality.
