VK Sasikala Cannot Seek Info On Party Funds, Says K Palaniswami To Court

Chennai: The faction led by TTV Dhinakaran and VK Sasikala has no stake in the AIADMK and the two leaders do not have any locus standi to seek documents related to party funds, the Madras High Court was informed today.

Senior counsel for Chief Minister K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, CS Vaidyanathan, told Justice C V Karthikeyan when arguments on a civil suit resumed today, that documents cannot be sought by the duo.

The suit, filed by VK Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran, sought to restrain K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam from holding organisational posts of the party.

It also sought quashing of resolutions passed at the AIADMK General Council meet held on September 12 here.

At the General Council meet, VK Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran were expelled from their respective posts of general secretary and deputy general secretary.

The meeting also resolved that there would be no post of general secretary, hitherto held by late J Jayalalithaa.

The executive powers of the party was vested with the coordinator and co-coordinator respectively, who are Panneerselvam and Palaniswami.

Counsel for Sasikala and Dhinakaran, Abishek Manu Singhvi, contended that the other side had not complied with the court's earlier direction to submit the party accounts.

CS Vaidyanathan replied that the details had already been submitted in a sealed cover. Abishek Manu Singhvi pointed out that it has to be served to the plaintiffs (Dhinakaran and Sasikala), so that they can file a counter.

Justice Karthikeyan said that the details were given in a sealed cover and the same was handed over to the Registry for safe keep. He also opined that as per law, the plaintiff has to be served a copy.

To this, Abishek Manu Vaidyanathan said the plaintiffs were not a legal entity and hence, they had no role to play in the party after the Election Commission's ruling on the party symbol.

"They have no stake in the party and do not have any locus standi to seek the document," Mr Vaidyanathan added.

The Election Commission had recently allotted the two leaves symbol to the Palaniswami-Panneerselvam led AIADMK as they enjoyed majority in the organisational and legislature wings.

The court adjourned the matter till December 21, when both parties should file their affidavit and counteraffidavit.