Plea in Madras HC for government to defer Jayalalithaa annual day

Chennai: An advocate has approached the Madras high court to restrain the state government from observing officially the first anniversary of the demise of former chief minister J.Jayalalithaa on December 5 till the Justice A.Arumugasamy Inquiry Commission declares the official date of death after availing the scientific proof from fingerprint forensic experts.

In his petition, advocate R.Kumaravel submitted that he had submitted an affidavit before the Commission on November 21 to call for the original thumb impressions that were affixed in Forms A and B relating to the nomination papers of AIADMK candidates for Thanjavur, Aravakurichi and Thiruparankundran by-elections held in November 2016. They were readily available with the Chief Electoral officer and returning officers of those assembly constituencies. They should be sent for forensic test for finding out the basic truth — whether she was alive or dead when the thumb impressions were taken.

While so, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had announced that the government would observe the annual death day of late chief minister Jayalalithaa on December 5. He has no objection if the CM or his political party observe the annual day on behalf of the party. But, the state should not officially declare and observe the disputed date of death of Jayalalithaa, he added.

 He said since the government itself issued terms of reference to the Commission to inquire into the circumstances and situation leading to the Jayalalithaa's hospitalisation on September 22, 2016 to know her health status, the government should defer from observing the annual death day of Jayalalithaa by spending public money with the assistance and coordination of the other government officials either till the commission declares the date of death or till the commission sends Jayalalithaa's fingerprints for a fingerprint forensic test and obtaining the result from such expert body about the date of death, he added.