Can Palaniswami veto AIADMK general council’s decision against Panneerselvam?

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Okay. Palaniswami’s outright rejection of the attraction made by former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam to be readmitted into the occasion, on the grounds that the decision to expel him was taken by the general council, raises the query whether or not the occasion general secretary can veto any such decision.

Interacting with journalists in Salem just lately, Mr. Palaniswami emphasised that the decision to expel his former colleague was made “not by the general secretary however by the general council” for “betraying the occasion.”

He referred to the decision adopted at a general council assembly in Vanagaram close to Chennai on July 11, 2022, whereby Mr. Panneerselvam and his three erstwhile followers have been expelled from the organisation.

Mr. Palaniswami’s repeated reference to the general council has given the impression that any decision taken by it’s irrevocable.

Nevertheless, the Rule 20-A (viii) and (ix) of the AIADMK’s guidelines and laws [as amended at the general council meeting in July 2022 and available on the website of the Election Commission] clearly identifies the general secretary as “the supreme authority to take a remaining decision” on the disciplinary proceedings.

Moreover, the general secretary “is empowered to take such actions as he/she might deem match” on essential political occasions, insurance policies, and programmes of pressing nature, with out ready for conferences of the manager committee (EC) or the general council.

Other than the presence of a component of urgency within the matter in view of the Meeting election, for which electoral tie-ups are being solid, the occasion’s historical past offers a chance for Mr. Palaniswami to rethink the case of Mr. Panneerselvam.

In September 1984, the then Meals Minister and one of many founder-members of the occasion, S.D. Somasundaram, was dropped from the Cupboard headed by M.G. Ramachandran who had, by then, assumed once more the put up of general secretary. Somasundaram was additionally ousted from the organisation. The choices adopted a decision adopted by the general council.

In actual fact, the general council’s decision was, in flip, preceded by the EC’s suggestion against Somasundaram for levelling critical expenses of corruption and maladministration against the AIADMK regime.

Earlier than this improvement, Somasundaram had been a trusted lieutenant of MGR, commanding the respect of partymen in any respect ranges, till he selected to problem the chief in 1984. In April 1986, he even took out a procession to Raj Bhavan (now Lok Bhavan) and offered a memorandum to then Governor S.L. Khurana, itemizing 30 expenses of corruption pertaining to a number of authorities departments, together with Excise and Business Taxes. Seven months later, a gathering passed off between Somasundaram and MGR, after which the previous was taken again into the fold.

In March 2023, Mr. Palaniswami was one of many outstanding audio system at an occasion held within the metropolis to mark the start centenary of Somasundaram.

When requested concerning the rule within the occasion’s bye-laws that provides the general secretary overarching powers, the AIADMK deputy general secretary and a veteran of the occasion, Okay.P. Munusamy, says it is very important be conscious that the decision to expel Mr. Panneerselvam was made “in tune with the emotions of the occasion members”.