Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Election Commission Symbol Freezes Require Swift Decisions in Factional Disputes
Political parties can have symbols that voters recognize on election ballots.
The AIADMK’s symbol is two leaves.
After important party leaders died, different groups argued about which group truly represented the party.
In 1989, the Election Commission gave the groups different symbols instead of allowing either to use two leaves.
The groups later reunited, and the party recovered its symbol.
A similar dispute began after Jayalalithaa died in 2016.
Because an election deadline was very close, the Election Commission froze the symbol temporarily.
It later decided in November 2017 that the faction led by O Panneerselvam represented the AIADMK.
The Election Commission of India froze the AIADMK’s two-leaves symbol after rival factions disputed control of the party.
In 1989, factions led by Janaki Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa contested Tamil Nadu elections using separate symbols.
After the factions reunited, the AIADMK eventually regained its two-leaves symbol.
Following Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016, rival groups again sought control of the party and its symbol.
With a March 23, 2017 nomination deadline, the Election Commission froze the symbol temporarily and resolved the dispute in November 2017 in favor of O Panneerselvam’s faction.
- Who
- The Election Commission of India and rival factions of the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, including groups led by O Panneerselvam, V K Sasikala and T T V Dhinakaran.
- What
- The Election Commission froze the AIADMK’s two-leaves symbol during leadership disputes and later recognized O Panneerselvam’s faction.
- When
- The first dispute followed M G Ramachandran’s death in 1987; the later dispute followed Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016 and was decided in November 2017.
- Where
- Tamil Nadu, including the 1989 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and a 2017 bye-election.
- Why
- The rival factions each claimed to represent the AIADMK, while the Election Commission said it could not examine more than 20,000 pages of material and decide the later dispute before the nomination deadline.
Rival faction claims
Election Commission response
Control of the party
Rival faction claims
Each faction claimed to represent the original AIADMK and sought control of its two-leaves symbol.
Election Commission response
The Election Commission declined to recognize either side during the 1989 dispute and later temporarily froze the symbol while examining the 2017 claims.
Speed of the decision
Rival faction claims
The 2017 factions sought a decision before nominations closed for the April 12 bye-election.
Election Commission response
The Election Commission said the more than 20,000 pages submitted could not be examined fully within the available time, so it issued an interim order.
Final recognition
Rival faction claims
The competing groups claimed legitimacy after Jayalalithaa’s death.
Election Commission response
In November 2017, the Election Commission recognized the faction led by O Panneerselvam as the AIADMK.
- Party
- All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)
- Disputed symbol
- Two leaves
- First dispute
- Followed M G Ramachandran’s death in 1987
- 1989 symbols
- The Jayalalithaa faction used a rooster, while the Janaki Ramachandran faction used two doves
- 2017 deadline
- March 23 was the last date for filing nominations for a bye-election scheduled for April 12
- ECI petition
- Filed on March 16, 2017
- Final decision
- In November 2017, the Election Commission recognized the faction led by O Panneerselvam