Madras HC asks EC to explain Jayalalithaa’s thumb impression on election form
Advocate for DMK’s P Sarvanan questioned the authenticity of Jayalalithaa’s thumb impression that was affixed on the ‘C form’ that has to be signed by a candidate’s party chief.
The Madras high court has summoned a senior Election Commission of India officer in a case in which the opposition DMK has alleged violation of poll procedure in an assembly by-election that the ruling AIADMK won.
Justice P Velumurugan on Wednesday asked the EC principal secretary to explain to the court on October 6 if the poll body had authorised the doctor attending on Jayalalithaa to attest her thumb impression affixed on the election form of AIADMK candidate AK Bose.
Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa was hospitalised on September 22, 2016 and died at Chennai’s Apollo hospital on December 5, with little information shared about her illness.
By-elections to three assembly constituencies were held on November 19, with AIADMK fielding AK Bose from Thirupparankundram constituency near Madurai.
His DMK rival P Sarvanan challenged his election in the high court, saying Bose violated rules when he filed his nomination paper.
Appearing for Sarvanan, advocate A Arun questioned the authenticity of the Jayalalithaa’s thumb impression that was affixed on the ‘C form’ that has to be signed by a candidate’s party chief.
The EC violated rules in authorising the doctor attending on Jayalalithaa to attest her thumb impression, he said.
In the run-up to the by-elections, the opposition DMK had questioned why Jayalalithaa had not signed the form.
Media reports at the time had quoted the doctor as saying, “Jayalalithaa has undergone a tracheotomy and has an inflamed right hand, temporarily unable to affix signature and has used her left hand to give the thumb impression.”