Kochi | A court on Friday stayed the functioning of the ad hoc committee constituted to manage the operations of the Malayalam actors’ body AMMA following a petition filed by actor Swetha Menon challenging its validity.

The stay was ordered by Ernakulam Additional Munsiff Court Judge Needi K Dinamany, who also issued summons to the ad-hoc committee's president, actor and MLA Ramesh Pisharody.

The case has been posted for further hearing on July 13.

Menon, who was the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), approached the court contending that the formation of the ad hoc committee was contrary to the bylaws of the charitable organisation formed for the welfare of actors in the Malayalam film industry.

During AMMA's general body meeting held here on July 21, members decided to remove the existing executive committee, citing alleged irregularities, and appointed an ad hoc committee headed by Pisharody to manage the organisation's affairs until fresh elections.

In her petition, Menon argued that under the association's bylaws, the existing executive committee should continue in office until a new committee is elected.

Several members of the executive committee under Menon had already resigned following the general body meeting.

Recently, several actors, including former minister and actor K B Ganesh Kumar, alleged that Menon had not visited the AMMA office or carried out the organisation's functions after the general body meeting.

However, Menon, in a Facebook post, alleged a conspiracy behind the removal of the executive committee she headed and questioned the legality of the ad hoc committee.