Chennai : In a big morale booster for the ruling AIADMK ahead of the general elections, it secured the two leaves symbol after a protracted legal battle against rebel party leader TTV Dhinakaran who broke away called his unit as the official party.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday upheld the Election Commission (EC) order allotting AIADMK’s Two Leaves symbol to the faction led by EK Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam (EPS-OPS faction). Dismissing Dhinakaran’s appeal, the court observed there was no infirmity with the commission order.

“..none of the grounds urged by the petitioners are made out. We find no infirmity in the order of the Commission warranting interference by this Court. All petitions are, accordingly, dismissed.”, the court said in its judgment, delivered by the division bench comprising Justices GS Sistani and Sangita Dhindra Sehgal.

The verdict was reserved by the Bench on February 8.

Soon after the death of J Jayalalithaa, former chief minister and AIADMK supremo on December 5, 2016, the party split into two factions, one led by Dhinakaran and the larger unit led by EPS-OPS combine.

Dhinakaran challenged an election commission order allotting two leaves symbol to the EPS-OPS faction on the ground that they enjoyed the support of the majority of members in the legislative and organizational wings of the party.