Hand over golden armour to revenue dept, rules Madras HC after dispute between rival AIADMK factions

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 27 (ANI): Following a dispute between the two rival factions of AIADMK led by Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) and O Panneerselvam (OPS) over a golden armour of freedom fighter and Thevar community leader Pasumbon Muthuramalingath Thevar, the Madras High Court on Wednesday ruled that the armour should be handed over to the revenue department officials.
"The golden armour cannot be handed over to either of the faction since there is a case pending in the Supreme Court over the party's leadership issue," the Court said.
AIADMK treasurer and EPS team leader Dindigul Srinivasan filed a petition in the Madras High Court seeking an order to Bank of India, Madurai Annanagar branch to hand over the gold armour to them.
Subsequently, the OPS side filed an interim petition, which the court accepted citing the pending proceedings in the Supreme Court regarding the leadership of the party.
While it is considered a matter of honour for OPS as he belongs to the Thevar community, EPS feels that it is important to prove that he is a stand-alone leader of the AIADMK.
Earlier, the agitating faction had separately petitioned the bank officials to open the locker and take out a 13-kg gold armour to decorate the statue of freedom fighter and spiritual leader Muthuramalingath Thevar. His birthday is on October 30.
AIADMK's tradition is to celebrate Thevar Jayanti on October 30 every year.
In 2014, the late former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa presented a gold shield on behalf of the armour party.
Since then, the AIADMK Treasurer was responsible for taking the armour from the Indian Bank locker in Madurai and sending it back.
Back on July 11, in the General Council meeting convened, EPS was elected as the interim General Secretary of the party. Before the meeting, supporters of both rival factions clashed outside the party headquarters. Following the violent clash, the headquarters was seized by the Revenue Divisional Officer.
The August 17 judgement by a single bench of Justice G Jayachandran had nullified the July 11 meeting and ordered status quo, as prior to July 11. EPS camp then challenged the single bench judgement to a division bench of Madras High Court which ruled in favour of EPS.
Both factions of the AIADMK have urged the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M Appavu to identify them as real AIADMK. The matter is pending in the Supreme Court. (ANI)