Madras High Court allows Election Commission to hear AIADMK symbol dispute

The Madras High Court on Wednesday lifted its stay on the Election Commission from acting on representations seeking to freeze the “two leaves” symbol of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, The Indian Express reported.

A division bench of Justices R Subramanian and G Arul Murugan, while withdrawing the stay the court had imposed on January 9, ordered the poll panel to first confirm that a dispute existed under paragraph 15 of the 1968 Election Symbols Reservation and Allotment Order before determining which faction of the AIADMK is to be recognised.

Following the court’s directions, the faction led by former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said that the Election Commission’s role in the affairs of a political party was limited.

“The ECI has no authority to interfere in the internal matters of political parties,” The Indian Express quoted C Ve Shanmugam of the Palaniswami-led group as saying, citing past Supreme Court and the High Court rulings.

Shanmugam said that the poll panel had already accepted amendments to AIADMK’s bye-laws, giving Palaniswami the authority to sign Form A and Form B for candidates contesting elections using the party’s “two leaves” symbol. “How can the ECI now go against its own decision?” he asked.

O Panneerselvam, the leader of the rival faction, welcomed the court’s order on Wednesday.

“Several court rulings have established…

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