Kochi, July 3 (IANS) The leadership tussle within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) took a dramatic legal turn on Friday after an Ernakulam court restrained the newly constituted ad hoc committee from functioning and directed that the Executive Committee headed by former President Shwetha Menon continue in office until further orders.

The interim order by the Ernakulam Munsiff Court came on a petition filed by Menon, dealing a setback to the nine-member ad hoc committee that had been constituted by the association’s Annual General Body (AGB) on June 21 to oversee the AMMA’s affairs until fresh elections.

The court’s intervention marks the first judicial development in the escalating dispute over the control of the influential actors’ body.

The controversy stems from the June 21 AGB meeting, during which Menon and her entire Executive Committee announced their resignation amid mounting opposition from a section of members.

The General Body subsequently approved an ad hoc committee headed by Congress MLA Ramesh Pisharody, with former five-time MLA K.B. Ganesh Kumar among its members, to manage the association until elections are held.

Hours before approaching the court, Menon had issued a detailed social media statement maintaining that, under the AMMA’s by-laws, the outgoing Executive Committee continues to exercise administrative powers until a newly elected committee assumes office.

She argued that the ad hoc committee had no legal basis and accused certain vested interests of attempting to mislead members and take control of the organisation.

Menon also alleged that a group of members had arrived at the June 21 meeting with a pre-drafted resolution seeking the resignation of her Executive Committee.

According to her, the resolution failed to secure the mandatory two-thirds majority prescribed under the association’s by-laws and therefore had no legal validity.

The latest developments have revived comparisons with the transition following the resignation of the executive committee headed by veteran actor Mohanlal last year.

While Menon’s supporters contend that Mohanlal’s committee was allowed to continue in a caretaker capacity until elections, those backing the ad hoc committee argue that the present situation is different as the General Body had expressly approved the interim arrangement.

With the court now staying the functioning of the ad hoc committee, the battle for control of AMMA appears set to move into a prolonged legal and organisational contest until the issue is finally settled or fresh elections are conducted.

–IANS

sg/vd