The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Delhi High Court to set up a two-judge bench to decide ousted All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader TTV Dinakaran’s plea against the Election Commission’s decision to allow a rival faction of the party to use the two-leaves symbol, PTI reported.
While one faction is led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, the other faction is headed by Dinakaran. His faction is called the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam.
The top court directed the High Court to decide the case by the end of April and temporarily suspended its March 9 order. The Delhi High Court had on March 9 asked the Election Commission to allot a symbol and a suitable name for Dinakaran’s faction.
Dinakaran had sought a temporary symbol until the Election Commission decides on his petition seeking the party’s two-leaves symbol. Dinakaran, who had contested the RK Nagar bye-election using a pressure cooker symbol, told the High Court he would like to keep using it.
Dinakaran’s counsel Meenakshi Arora reiterated the request in the Supreme Court, too. However, Justice AM Khanwilkar told Dinakaran’s counsel that his organisation was not yet registered and thus must be considered a splinter group of the AIADMK, India Legal reported. So, Dinakaran cannot use the pressure cooker symbol till the next hearing in the case.
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