Sasi -TTV faction not a legal entity, says EPS-OPS counsel

CHENNAI: The faction led by TTV Dhinakaran and V K Sasikala, has no stake in the AIADMK and they don’t have any locus standi to seek documents relating to party funds in banks, C S Vaidyanathan, senior counsel appearing for Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam told Justice C V Karthikeyan on Wednesday.

When the arguments resumed on the civil suit from the duo to restrain Palaniswami and Panneerselvam from holding organisational posts of the party and to declare resolutions passed at the general council meeting held at a wedding hall in Vanagaram on September 12 last as invalid, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, senior counsel for Dhinakaran and Sasikala, contended that the other side had not complied with the earlier court direction to submit party accounts.

Vaidyanathan replied that details was already submitted in a sealed cover. Singhvi pointed out that the details had to be served to the plaintiffs so that they could file a counter. Justice Karthikeyan said that the details were handed over in a sealed cover to the Registry for safe keeping. He also opined that as per law, the plaintiff has to be served a copy.

But Vaidyanathan countered that the plaintiffs were not a legal entity and hence 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 to seek documents,” he added. The judge adjourned the matter to December 21, when both parties should file their affidavits and counter-affidavits.

Among other things, at the September 12 general council meeting, the merged factions of Palaniswami and Panneerselvam adopted resolutions invalidating Sasikala and T T V Dhinakaran from holding respective posts.