Pugalendhi contended that the wordings in the communication issued in June this year, in which his removal from the primary membership of the party and from the post of spokesperson was announced, were defamatory in nature.

Justice M Nirmal Kumar issued the notice, returnable by September 14, after listening to the arguments of petitioners' senior advocates Vijay Narayanan and A Natarajan, who were earlier Advocate-General and Public Prosecutor, respectively.

The senior counsels argued that the contents of the expulsion order was a routine and usual one and there was nothing to rake up the defamation clause. Perhaps, it was the first time a party man has moved the court with a defamation complaint on the subject, they added.

Pugalendhi had earlier moved a special court against Panneerselvam and Palaniswami, AIADMK Coordinator and joint coordinator, which had issued summons to them.