TTV seeks urgent hearing on party symbol

Tamil Nadu leader T T V Dhinakaran on Monday sought an urgent hearing before the Supreme Court on his petition challenging the Delhi High Court's judgement of February 28 that upheld the Election Commission's order granting the AIADMK name and two leaves symbol to the faction led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami.

Dhinakaran's counsel mentioned the matter before a bench presided over by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi seeking hearing on the petition on March 14 or before it.

The bench, also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna, refused to consider the plea as senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi and advocate Balaji Srinivasan, representing the other side opposed it.

The court put the matter for consideration on March 15 as the date was already fixed.

His plea included a stay on the EC's decision of November 2017 to allot his rival group the ‘two leaves’ symbol. He also sought a direction to the poll panel to allot his group the common symbol ‘pressure cooker’.

He contended a faction, which has attempted to amend the basic rules and regulations of the AIADMK, could not be recognised as the true heirs of the party.

Dhinakaran contended that both the EC and the high court failed to consider the test of adherence to the party constitution.

He claimed to enjoy the support of the rank and file of the AIADMK party.

“Whereas the rival leaders, by their own admission, had said they had support of only 11 MLAs out of 134 and support of 12 MPs out of 50,” he claimed.