As the merged factions of the AIADMK sought the “Two Leaves” symbol for itself, the Election Commission on Friday fixed October 6 as the date for hearing of the symbol case, deferring it by a day.
The Commission had on Thursday informed the warring parties — E.Madhusudanan, V.K.Sasikala, O.Panneerselvam and T.T.V.Dinakaran — that the date of the next hearing will be October 5. But on Friday it changed the date to October 6. The Commission fixed the date after the September 15 order of the Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench asking the poll panel to dispose off the case relating to the symbol before October 31.
The battle for supremacy in the AIADMK intensified on Friday with the merged factions of the party moving the Election Commission seeking the lifting of the freeze on the party symbol “Two Leaves” and restoring it and the name to the combined party.
A communication addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner A.K. Joti and the other two Commissioners, signed by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E.Palaniswamy and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneeerselvam, was submitted on Friday, citing the resolutions adopted at the General Council of the party after the merger of the two factions held on September 12 in Chennai.
The poll body has told the warring parties to submit any fresh submissions latest by September 29.
“lf any individual affidavits of support are being filed, such affidavits should be confined to the members of the Legislative wing (Members of Parliament and Legislative Assembly) and the apex level representative bodies in the organisational wing of the Party, i.e. the General Council and central Executive committee,” the Election Commission said in its notice.
“You are also directed to submit the list of General Council Members and Central Executive Committee Members of the party as on December 5, 2016,” it said, adding that copies of the lists should also be served on the other group.