Madras HC restrains OPS from using AIADMK party symbol, flag, letterhead

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Monday restrained expelled AIADMK leader O Paneerselvam from using the official letterhead, reserved symbol "Two Leaves" and the flag of party.

Justice N Sathishkumar passed the order on a suit and applications filed by AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.

Originally, on a suit filed by Palaniswami, Justice Sathishkumar had on November 7, 2023 passed an interim order, restraining Paneerselvam from using the party letterhead, symbol and flag. Aggrieved, OPS, as Paneerselvam is known, had filed appeals.

A division bench comprising Justices R Mahadevan and Mohammed Shaffiq had on January 11, 2024 dismissed the three appeals filed by OPS.

The bench however, granted libertty to the expelled leader to approach the single Judge by filing necessary applications seeking to vacate the order, if any, passed against him. On filing of such application, the Judge shall consider and pass appropriate orders, on its own merits and in accordance with law, the bench had added. Accordingly, Paneerselvam had approached the single judge.

After hearing elaborate arguments from both sides, Justice Sathishkumar allowed the applications arising out of the suit filed by Palaniswami and passed the present order.

In a power tussle between the top two leaders, Panneerselvam was expelled by a general council of the AIADMK in July 2022. Later, Palaniswami was elected as the top leader of the main opposition party.