On Thursday, the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu said the Election Commission had “accepted” the elevation of Edappadi K Palaniswami as its general secretary, on a day when the Madras High Court resumed the hearing into his rival camp’s pleas over the leadership of the party and other issues.
Party spokesperson R M Babu Murugavel tweeted a communication from the EC to Palaniswami and said it had “accepted” the amendments to the AIADMK bylaws, the general secretary election, and the appointment of new office-bearers.
In the EC communication Murugavel shared on his Twitter page, it told Palaniswami that “the amended rules and regulations of the party and the change of office bearer communicated vide your letters under reference have been taken on record, subject to any further court order or direction.” The EC’s April 20, 2023-dated letter came on a day when a division bench of the Madras High Court was hearing a plea by deposed leader O Panneerselvam against his expulsion from the party last year and the elevation of Palaniswami.
Palaniswami, a former chief minister, was elected general secretary on March 28, soon after the Madras High Court rejected all petitions filed by the deposed Panneerselvam and his aides against the resolutions of the July 11, 2022, party general council and the conduct of the general secretary election.