The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by an MLA belonging to the faction of sidelined All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham leader TTV Dinakaran.

The plea had sought a directive asking the court to cancel Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami’s decision to convene a general council meeting. MLA S Vetrivel had argued that Palaniswami did not have the authority to call for the meet as he was neither the general secretary, nor the deputy general secretary of the party, The Hindu reported.

The court also fined the MLA Rs 1 lakh for wasting its time. “If you do not wish to attend the meeting, better stay at home,” the judge said, adding that the legislator could have approached the Election Commission instead, ANI reported.

Palaniswami is scheduled to hold the general council meeting on September 12, where observers say he will pass a decision against Dinakaran and his faction.

On August 10, Dinakaran was removed from the post of AIADMK’s deputy general secretary ahead of Palaniswami faction’s merger with the O Panneerselvam camp. Dinakaran, along with 19 party legislators, had met Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao on August 22, claiming the support of at least 22 MLAs. He had also demanded that Palaniswami be removed from the chief minister’s post.

On September 7, Dinakaran’s supporter and Cumbun MLA ST Jakkaiyan defected to the Edappadi Palaniswami camp. The opposing faction, as well as the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham, have been demanding a floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.