Two Leaves symbol is for EPS-OPS: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court today passed an order that the Two Leaves symbol allotted to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is valid.

This is a major boost to the ruling party led by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam deputy general secretary T T V Dhinakaran and his aunt and general secretary of the party, V K Sasikala, had moved the court against granting the two-leaves symbol of the AIADMK to the EPS-OPS faction.

A bench of Justices GS Sistani and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal had on February 8 reserved its decision on the matter after hearing arguments on behalf of the EC and the two factions.In its order of November 23, 2017, the Election Commission of India allowed the EPS-OPS group to call itself the AIADMK. As far as the order was concerned, E. Madhusudanan, now chairman of the presidium of the party, was the leader of the group.

The Supreme Court on February 7 had also vacated its order of abeyance on the high court's interim decision of March 9, 2018 directing the Election Commission to allot a common symbol, preferably that of a 'pressure cooker', and a name to the then AIADMK (Amma) faction led by Dhinakaran.