The Madras High Court has directed that the ongoing intra-party leadership dispute within the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) be put on hold until the conclusion of the upcoming electoral process in Tamil Nadu. Justice T.V. Tamilselvi, while hearing the matter on Tuesday, ruled that the City Civil Court should resume proceedings only after May 10.
The legal battle centers on a rift between PMK founder S. Ramadoss and his son, Anbumani Ramadoss. The elder Ramadoss moved the lower court seeking a permanent injunction to restrain Anbumani from utilizing the party’s name, flag, or official symbol. In response, Anbumani filed a counter-suit, further intensifying the internal power struggle.
During the High Court hearing, Justice Tamilselvi refrained from vacating an existing interim stay on the lower court’s proceedings. The court observed that with the state entering a critical election phase, the leadership dispute case would be better addressed once the political dust settles.
Tamil Nadu is currently preparing for elections to 234 Assembly seats scheduled for April 23. With the counting of votes slated for May 4, the High Court determined that the Civil Court should only take up the trial after the entire process is officially completed on May 10.
The scope of the litigation recently expanded after PMK General Secretary Vadivel Ravanan filed an impleading petition. Ravanan sought to be made a party to the case, a plea that was accepted by the High Court during the trial.
By maintaining the status quo on the lower court’s proceedings, the High Court ensures that the party’s internal legal conflicts do not overlap with the immediate pressures of the state-wide polls.
