HC imposes Rs 25K cost on litigant seeking to freeze AIADMK symbol

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on a PIL petitioner, who prayed for a direction to the Election Commission of India to freeze the AIADMK's "Two Leaves" symbol.

The petition is filed purely for publicity, the first bench of Chief Justice M N Bhandari and Justice N Mala said, while dismissing the public interest litigation from city resident P A Joseph, who claimed himself as the founder-president of J J Party.

The petition prayed for a direction to the EC to consider his representation dated June 28 to take necessary action against the rival groups of the AIADMK and freeze the "Two Leaves" symbol, until the disputes between Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam are solved, to protect public order and peace in the state.

In his petition, Joseph made some allegations against Palaniswami vis-a-vis the party's leadership tussle, where the dominant group backing the former Chief Minister is pushing for him to take up the single leadership.

The petitioner had approached the Court without even waiting for a week from the ECI. The petition was filed purely for cheap publicity, the bench said and dismissed it in limine.