EC notice to Sasikala on petition by Panneerselvam faction

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday sent a notice to AIADMK leader V K Sasikala and sought her reply on the petitions filed by a delegation of MPs from the O Panneerselvam camp challening her appointment as party General Secretary.

Sasikala, currently lodged in Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru, has been asked by EC to respond by February 28.

“The Commission has directed that your reply on the aforesaid petitions may be furnished latest by 28.02.2017, failing which it will be presumed that you have no comments to offer and the Commission will take appropriate action in the matter,” the EC letter read. On Thursday, a delegation of AIADMK MPs led by Rajya Sabha member V Maitreyan petitioned the EC over Sasikala’s appointment as the party’s General Secretary, which they said was illegal.

The delegation comprising of 11 AIADMK parliamentarians told the EC in their petition that as per the party constitution, to become the party General Secretary, one has to be a member for five consecutive years, and pointed out that Sasikala did not fulfil this basic criterion.

The petition also mentioned Rule 20 (2) of the party by-law which says that the General Secretary shall be elected by the primary members of the party units of Tamil Nadu and members of other states.