CHENNAI: The Madras high court on Friday set aside an order nullifying the July 11 general council meeting of the AIADMK where former Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami was made an interim general secretary of the party.
A division bench of Justice M Duraiswamy and Justice Sundar Mohan passed the order while allowing an appeal moved by EPS challenging the single judge order directing maintenance of status quo as of June 23 in the affairs of AIADMK.
In view of the order, former CM O Panneerselvam stands removed from the post of the AIADMK coordinator and expelled from the primary membership of the party as per the resolution passed in the July 11 general council meeting of the party.
However, OPS has yet another chance to test his case by preferring an appeal against the division bench order before the Supreme Court.
On August 25, the bench reserved its order after concluding the final hearing in the case.
It was contended on behalf of EPS that the single judge’s order suffered from an error in approach and OPS had not sought for a status quo. Yet the court had ordered for it, EPS side said. “It’s rather extraordinary. The order suffers from an error in approach,” EPS side said.

EPS supporters celebrating the high court verdict in Chennai on Friday. Photo by B A Raju
Opposing the arguments, OPS submitted that there was no vacancy in the coordinator and joint coordinator posts due to non-ratification, but an impression was created as if there was a vacancy.