Erode East bypoll | Supreme Court agrees to hear on February 3 plea on Election Commission not accepting Edappadi Palaniswami’s signature

The Supreme Court on January 30 agreed to hear on February 3 a plea by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, claiming that the Election Commission of India is refusing to accept his signature as AIADMK party’s interim general secretary during the nomination process ahead of the by-election to Erode (East) Assembly constituency of Tamil Nadu.

Mr. Palaniswami, represented by senior advocate Aryama Sundaram and advocate Balaji Srinivasan, has filed two applications seeking the impleadment of the Election Commission and for a direction to the poll body to take on record his appointment as interim general secretary of the party and abolition of the post of Coordinator held by O. Panneerselvam in a general council meeting on July 11, 2022.

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In an earlier mentioning, Mr. Palaniswami had complained that the poll body was not allowing him to sign on the requisite forms and authorise the party’s candidates for the Erode by-election.

The last date for filing nomination is February 7. The dates of polling and counting are February 27 and March 2, respectively.

“The Election Commission refuses to accept the signature of interim general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami citing the pendency of AIADMK general council case before Supreme Court,” Mr. Sundaram had submitted in a previous oral mentioning before the apex court.

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The petitions and disputes with AIADMK’s deposed coordinator, Mr. Panneerselvam, in connection with decisions taken in the July 11 general council meeting was heard and reserved for judgment earlier this month by an apex court Bench led by Justice Dinesh Maheshwari.

Mr. Palaniswami has said the AIADMK party’s prospects in the by-election is at stake. The pendency of the dispute over the general council meeting between Mr. Palaniswami and Mr. Panneerselvam in the apex court ought not to hold the hand of the Election Commission.

“Irreparable injury and hardship would be caused to the AIADMK party and its primary members in the event this application is not allowed...The application should be permitted in the interest of democracy as it would allow the largest opposition party in the State to contest the by-election,” Mr. Srinivasan has submitted on behalf of Mr. Palaniswami in the court.