PMK founder S.Ramadoss moves Madras High Court over 'Mango' symbol dispute

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 31 (ANI): Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder Dr.S.Ramadoss has filed a writ petition before the Madras High Court seeking to quash a communication issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on July 30, 2025, regarding the allotment of the party's 'mango' symbol, which was sent to his son and current president Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss' address in Chennai.
The petition has been listed for hearing on February 2, 2026, before Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan.
Dr. Ramadoss has urged the court to set aside the July 30 communication and direct the ECI to issue a fresh communication to his address in Chennai, stating that he is the party's incumbent president.
Though filed in the name of PMK, the writ petition states that the party is represented by its founder-cum-president Dr. S. Ramadoss. In his supporting affidavit, he stated that Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss' third tenure as party president had ended on May 28, 2025.
The petitioner accused his son of having played fraud on the ECI by submitting forged documents to falsely project himself as the continuing party president. He contended that such claims were based on illegal party meetings conducted without the authorisation of the party founder.
Claiming that he continues to be the lawful president of PMK, Dr. Ramadoss stated that the ECI had taken a decision on July 31, 2025, to allot the 'mango' symbol to the party for the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections held last year and also for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. (ANI)
However, he alleged that the communication conveying this decision was sent to Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss' residence at Tilak Street, T. Nagar, Chennai, rather than to his office address at Nattu Muthu Naiken Street, T. Nagar, Chennai.
Dr. Ramadoss further pointed out that the Delhi High Court had recently dealt with a case concerning a factional dispute within the PMK between him and his son. During the hearing on December 14, 2025, counsel appearing for the ECI had submitted that the Commission would freeze the 'mango' symbol during the 2026 elections.
However, till date, the Election Commission of India has neither issued any fresh communication to Dr. S.Ramadoss at his office address nor chosen to freeze the 'mango' symbol, despite the dispute arising from rival claims by the former president, who has been removed from the party membership on September 11, 2025," the affidavit stated. (ANI)