EC refuses Dhinakaran’s plea for more time in AIADMK two-leaves symbol case

CHENNAI: The Election Commission of India on Thursday refused to entertain a petition filed by sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, who sought more time to submit documents and to adjourn the hearing on the two-leaves symbol dispute case. The poll panel reiterated its stand to take up the hearing of case on October 6, as intimated earlier.

In a letter to Dhinakaran, commission secretary Pramod Kumar Sharma sought to recall the order of the division bench of the Madurai bench of Madras high court to decide on the two-leaves case at the earliest.

"As regards the request for more time to file documents and to adjourn the hearing, it may be noted that there is an order of the division bench of Madurai bench of the Madras high court to decide the case by October 31. Therefore, you may file written submissions and documents by September 29," the officer said.

In its order last week, the commission directed the parties - E Madhusudanan, O Panneerselvam, V K Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran - to submit any fresh submissions in the dispute case by September 29.

However, Dhinakaran in his plea said he required three weeks to submit the affidavits to the commission, in the backdrop of the Madras high court hearing the disqualification of 18 MLAs supporting him.

"If you desire to file any objections/rejoinder against the submissions and documents that may be filed by the other group, it would be open to you to file the same by October 4, after serving copy thereof on the other side," Sharma said.

For deciding the dispute brought before the commission, the EC wanted to look into the position as existing at present and the support base of the two groups at the present stage.

The commission directed the parties to file individual affidavits of support, confining to the members of the legislative wing (members of parliament and legislative assembly) and the apex level representative bodies in the organisation - general council and executive committee.

"We submitted that the commission has taken the scope of inquiry further. And we need time to rebut the documents submitted by the other group. We will read the order and take further course of action," Dhinakaran's advocate N Raja Senthoor Pandian told TOI.