<p>Chennai: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday told the Madras High Court that it will take a decision within four weeks on a plea not to allot Two Leaves symbol to candidates named by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami. </p><p>The ECI’s response came after S Surya Moorthi, who identified himself as a member of the AIADMK, filed a petition before it in this regard. </p>.OPS hold seat-sharing talks with BJP, Dhinakaran; says confident EC will grant him Two Leaves symbol.<p>A division bench of justices R Subramanian and C Kumarappan also recorded the submission made by ECI counsel that it would take a call on the plea since it has also received a response from the AIADMK after a notice was issued to the party. </p><p>The court also asked the ECI to hear all parties concerned before arriving at a decision on the issue after former chief minister and expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam’s counsel said his client has not been consulted on the issue. </p><p>The ECI’s counsel also told the court that the ECI will finally decide the representation within four weeks. After a protracted legal battle, the ECI had in July 2023 recognised Palaniswami as the general secretary of the AIADMK and allotted the Two Leaves symbol to candidates fielded by him in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. </p><p>Panneerselvam, who claims he is still the co-ordinator of the AIADMK despite his expulsion from the party in July 2022, had contested the Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate from Ramanathapuram seat in April this year. </p><p>In July 2022, Panneerselvam and his supporters, including two MLAs, were expelled from the AIADMK for “anti-party activities” by the general council, which appointed Palaniswami as the general secretary. Since then, Palaniswami’s authority in the AIADMK has been unquestioned. </p><p>Two Leaves is a magical symbol which still holds sway over AIADMK cadres and public. </p>
<p>Chennai: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday told the Madras High Court that it will take a decision within four weeks on a plea not to allot Two Leaves symbol to candidates named by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami. </p><p>The ECI’s response came after S Surya Moorthi, who identified himself as a member of the AIADMK, filed a petition before it in this regard. </p>.OPS hold seat-sharing talks with BJP, Dhinakaran; says confident EC will grant him Two Leaves symbol.<p>A division bench of justices R Subramanian and C Kumarappan also recorded the submission made by ECI counsel that it would take a call on the plea since it has also received a response from the AIADMK after a notice was issued to the party. </p><p>The court also asked the ECI to hear all parties concerned before arriving at a decision on the issue after former chief minister and expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam’s counsel said his client has not been consulted on the issue. </p><p>The ECI’s counsel also told the court that the ECI will finally decide the representation within four weeks. After a protracted legal battle, the ECI had in July 2023 recognised Palaniswami as the general secretary of the AIADMK and allotted the Two Leaves symbol to candidates fielded by him in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. </p><p>Panneerselvam, who claims he is still the co-ordinator of the AIADMK despite his expulsion from the party in July 2022, had contested the Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate from Ramanathapuram seat in April this year. </p><p>In July 2022, Panneerselvam and his supporters, including two MLAs, were expelled from the AIADMK for “anti-party activities” by the general council, which appointed Palaniswami as the general secretary. Since then, Palaniswami’s authority in the AIADMK has been unquestioned. </p><p>Two Leaves is a magical symbol which still holds sway over AIADMK cadres and public. </p>