No extension of time for Dinakaran in AIADMK poll symbol case

In a setback to the AIADMK faction led by T.T.V Dinakaran, the Supreme Court on Friday refused to give more time to it for submitting documents before the Election Commission in the "Two Leaves" election symbol case, clearing the decks for hearing to commence before the poll body.

Refusing to interfere with the decision of Madurai bench of Madras High Court which declined to give more time to Dinakaran faction, the bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y Chandrachud, however, extended the time, asking the Election Commission to render the decision by November 10.

Dinakaran had on Friday sought deferring of the hearing by the Election Commission.

The hearing on the rivals' claims to the AIADMK poll symbol commenced on Friday and the Election Commission was to decide the issue by October 31, as earlier directed by the Madras High Court.

The top court heard the matter in its post-lunch sitting after Dinakaran's counsel earlier in the day mentioned the matter for an urgent hearing.

Dinakaran's counsel V. Singh said they had sought the extension of the deadline for settling the dispute over the party's Two Leaves symbol as they needed more time to go through about 20,000-pages documents filed by the rival faction and prepare their response.

Singh said the time was required to cross-examine some of the people who were earlier with Dinakaran but later resiled from their statement.

--IANS

pk/nir/vsc