The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Election Commission to decide on the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s two-leaves symbol row by November 10. The top court was hearing a plea by ousted party leader TTV Dinakaran who had sought to extend the deadline to settle the dispute.

Dinakaran’s counsel V Singh had approached the Supreme Court, asking it to extend the deadline to February 8, IANS reported. The Madras High Court had directed the Election Commission to dispose of the dispute between the two camps before October 31. The poll panel is scheduled to begin hearing the case on Friday.

Singh had said they needed more time to go through the 20,000 pages of documents filed by the rival faction. He also said those who earlier supported Dinakaran, but had now joined the rival camp, had to be cross-examined.

In March, before a bye-election to Tamil Nadu’s RK Nagar constituency, the Election Commission had frozen the party’s two-leaves symbol and issued new symbols to the warring factions of the party. The two factions were then led by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam. Later, a large group of legislators led by Palaniswami revolted against Sasikala – who is now serving four years in jail in a corruption case – and announced the merger of the two factions.