Court halts AMMA ad hoc panel, allows Shwetha Menon's committee to continue

The ongoing leadership dispute in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) took a dramatic turn on Friday after an Ernakulam court restrained the newly formed ad hoc committee from functioning and allowed the executive committee headed by former president Shwetha Menon to continue until further orders.

The interim order was issued by the Ernakulam Munsiff Court on a petition filed by Menon, dealing a setback to the nine-member ad hoc panel that was formed by AMMA's Annual General Body (AGB) on June 21.

The ad hoc committee had been tasked with running the organisation until fresh elections were held.

The court's intervention marks the first legal development in the growing dispute over who should lead the influential actors' body.

The controversy began during the June 21 AGB meeting, when Menon and her entire executive committee announced their resignation amid increasing opposition from a section of members.

Following the resignations, the General Body approved an interim committee headed by Congress MLA Ramesh Pisharody, with actor and former minister KB Ganesh Kumar among its members.

Earlier on Friday, Menon had reiterated in a social media post that AMMA's by-laws allow an outgoing executive committee to remain in office until a newly elected body takes charge.

She also questioned the legality of the ad hoc committee and alleged that certain groups were trying to gain control of the organisation.

With the court putting the interim panel's functioning on hold, the power struggle within AMMA now appears set to move into a prolonged legal battle unless the dispute is resolved or fresh elections are held.