HC dismisses plea for AIADMK intra-party polls as withdrawn

The Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed as withdrawn a writ petition seeking a direction to the ruling AIADMK to announce a date for intra-party elections.

Justice P D Audikesavulu, before whom the petition by G Sundaram, claiming to be a member of the AIADMK since 1985 came up, questioned how a writ was maintainable and said the petitioner has to file only a civil suit.

He also asked whether the petitioner was going to withdraw the plea.

After the petitioner's counsel submitted that he would withdraw the plea and made an endorsement to that effect, the judge dismissed it as withdrawn.

In his petition, Sundaram referred to the internal disputes that arose in AIADMK following the death of its then supremo J Jayalalithaa in 2016.

Without adhering to the party constitution, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam created two posts of co-coordinator and coordinator respectively for them and it was illegal, he alleged.

The new posts were created without any "recommendation and reference," by 1.5 crore party members and sans any election process.

Alleging the party is not taking any steps to conduct intra-party elections which has to be conducted every five years, the petitioner sought a direction from the court to the AIADMK to conduct party elections by this year and in case of non-compliance a direction to the Election Commission to conduct polls.

Counsel for the EC submitted that it had no role to play and nothing to do with the intra-party disputes and maintained that it will not interfere.

The Judge said the petitioner has to approach the appropriate forum for remedy and dismissed the petition as withdrawn.