AMMA row: Ansiba Hassan to implead in the case that stayed the functioning of ad-hoc committee

Actor Ansiba Hassan will implead in the case in which the Ernakulam Munsiff Court stayed the functioning of the ad-hoc committee constituted at the annual general body meeting of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA).

The court issued the stay order against the ad-hoc committee headed by actor and legislator Ramesh Pisharody after AMMA president Shwetha Menon challenged its functioning on July 3. Since then, Mr. Pisharody has resigned as convenor of the committee.

“We will move the petition online today itself and the court is likely to consider its admission in a day or two. Our understanding is that the stay is restricted to Mr. Pisharody alone. Our client also has a stake in the case,” said sources from Ms. Hassan’s legal team. The next hearing of the case is on July 13.

Rival factions have clashed over the interim order, with Ms. Menon facing considerable criticism for insisting she had not resigned, despite publicly declaring at the AGM that she and the entire executive committee stood resigned. She even announced before the media her resignation from AMMA’s primary membership. Yet, nearly a fortnight later, Ms. Menon maintained that she was still the president and had not submitted her resignation. However, on the same day she received a favourable court order, three members of her committee—Joy Mathew, Jayan Cherthala, and Kailash—resigned.

Conceding her argument, the court ruled that the incumbent executive committee could continue to administer until further orders and restrained the ad-hoc committee from interfering in its functioning. In her plea, Ms. Menon cited how the committee led by Mohanlal remained in office until a new committee was elected, even after its resignation. She further argued that the AGM held on June 21 failed to secure the mandatory two-thirds majority required to dissolve the existing committee.

Since the court order, a section of AMMA opposed to Ms. Menon has raised doubts about the sanctity of the minutes of the AGM submitted before the court to secure a favourable ruling. Members such as Maala Parvathy alleged that a completely one-sided version of the minutes was filed. Controversy also erupted over the leakage of a phone conversation between Ms. Menon and Mr. Pisharody, who expressed dismay at the breach of trust.