The Election Commission has adjourned till October 13 the next hearing on the case of which AIADMK faction should be allowed to be use the ‘two leaves’ party symbol.

The hearing came on the day that the Supreme Court asked the Election Commission (EC) to decide by November 10 on which of the two factions of the AIADMK should be allowed to use the symbol.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra disposed of the petition filed by TTV Dhinakaran, deputy general secretary of one faction of the AIADMK, challenging a Madras High Court order asking the poll panel to decide the election symbol row by October 31, agencies reported on Friday.

The apex court said the EC is a high constitutional body which is competent to deal with the question as per the provisions of the law.

“We have stated our position very clearly that the vast majority of MPs, MLAs and executive and general council members are with us, so the party belongs to us and so the symbol should be given to us. They have heard our version,” V Maitreyan, AIADMK MP, told newspersons at the gates of the EC headquarters.

In response to a question on whether the other faction had withdrawn its petition, he replied: “Not to my knowledge. We will know next week.”

Mukul Rohtagi appeared for former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam while Guru Krishnan Kumar and Manoj Pandian appeared for Madhusudan.

After former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s death in December last year, a bitter war had broken out between the two factions over which is the real AIADMK.

Both the factions approached the Commission and asked that the official party symbol be given to it.

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