‘Setback for OPS’: Madras HC to hear appeal on use of AIADMK symbol, flag & letterhead on June 10

Chennai: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) expelled leader, O. Panneerselvam (OPS), has received a major setback as Madras High Court division bench postponed his appeal against a single bench order restraining him from using AIADMK election symbol, flag and letterhead.

A division bench of the Madras High Court comprising Justices R. Subramanian and R. Sakthivel passed the order on Monday stating that an interim order cannot be issued.

The court will now hear the case on June 10.

The single bench judge of the Madras High Court, Justice N. Sathish Kumar passed an order on March 18 allowing three interlocutory applications filed by AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) and restrained O. Panneerselvam (OPS) from using election symbol, party flag and letter-head of the AIADMK.

The single judge had also prevented OPS’s claim to be the coordinator or even a primary member of the party.

The judge had also restrained the expelled leader from interfering with the functioning of the plaintiff as the General Secretary of the party.

The three interim reliefs were granted after finding the balance of convenience to be in favour of the plaintiff who had been elected by the party’s general council.

Panneerselvam has now challenged the orders passed by the single judge in all three interim injunction applications and the three appeals have been listed for admission before the Division Bench.

He has urged the Bench to stay the single judge’s orders until the disposal of the appeals

The division bench postponing the case to June 10 means that the case would be disposed of only after the Lok Sabha elections are over. This will be a major setback for the former Chief Minister, O.Panneerselvam (OPS) who will be filing nomination papers to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Ramanathapuram constituency as an independent candidate.

–IANS