Madras High Court rejects plea for removal of Jaya's portrait

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Friday rejected a plea from the opposition DMK seeking removal of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's portrait from the State Assembly. The court said there was no law prohibiting display of portraits of persons convicted of corruption.

First bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose dismissed the petition filed by DMK MLA J Anbazhagan seeking removal of the portrait, unveiled on February 10 last. The decision to unveil the portrait in the House was taken by Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal. Petitioner Anbazhagan had sought removal of the portrait on grounds that Jayalalithaa was found guilty on corruption charges.

The bench observed that in the absence of any law prohibiting the display of portraits of a person convicted for corruption, "this court cannot interfere in the matter."

The petitioner had submitted that Jayalalithaa was convicted by a special court on graft charges. Later the same was set aside by the Karnataka High Court and on appeal the Supreme Court found all the accused guilty of the charges. In view of her demise, appeals against Jayalalithaa were treated as abated, the petitioner said.