The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice in an appeal filed by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam against a Madras High Court order which entitled AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami to take over possession of the party headquarters in Chennai.
The Bench led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana however did not grant an interim stay of the High Court order.
During the short hearing, senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, for Mr. Panneerselvam, informed the apex court about an order of the Madras High Court on Tuesday, directing status quo ante as on June 23.
Mr. Naphade said the HC's Tuesday order has effectively set aside both the election of Mr. Palaniswami as interim general secretary of the party and the expulsion of Mr. Panneerselvam in a general council meeting held on July 11. The HC order has also restored to Mr. Panneerselvam his former position as party coordinator.
The HC has further ordered a fresh general council meeting of the party to be held to decide the question of its leadership. The HC order had come in a petition filed by Mr. Panneerselvam against the July 11 general council meet.
In the hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Mr. Palaniswami, referred to Mr. Panneerselvam as a "nobody". Advocate Balaji Srinivasan also represented Mr. Palaniswami.
The CJI asked Mr. Rohatgi not to use such expressions even as Mr. Naphade reminded in court that Mr. Panneerselvam was back as the coordinator.
Following the general council meeting on July 11, the supporters of both leaders had violently clashed outside the party headquarters.
This turn of events had led the South Chennai Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) to lock, seal and attach the party headquarters.
Both leaders had approached the High Court against the revenue department order.
But the High Court gave Mr. Palaniswami a shot in the arm by directing the revenue officials to hand over the possession of the party headquarters to him while noting that Mr. Panneerselvam had been expelled from AIADMK. This had led Mr. Panneerselvam to move the Supreme Court.
