DMK sought to restrain displaying photographs of Jayalalithaa in public offices
Madras High Court. (Photo: DC/File)
Chennai: The Madras high court has directed state government to dispose of within one month a representation from a DMK MLA which sought to restrain the authorities from displaying portraits and photographs of former TN Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in public offices, buildings and government schemes after her conviction in a disproportionate assets case.
Disposing of a PIL from DMK MLA T.R.B. Rajaa, a division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, said this was undoubtedly, and partly, a political battle.
The bench said it may be relevant to note that there were G.O.s permitting display of portraits of eminent personalities in public offices and buildings. Moreover, the notification issued by the Assembly secretariat on November 8 indicates that the seat of the Assembly occupied by the erstwhile chief minister stands vacant. “We, thus, direct the respondents (state government) to dispose of the representation of the petitioner, especially keeping in mind, the G.O.s, within one month,” the bench added.
According to Rajaa, the reason such portraits were hung on the walls of public buildings was that the personalities specified in the list were all national leaders to whom people can look up to and emulate. The G.O.s permitted display of the portraits of 11 personalities.
In 1989, the government issued a letter, permitting display of portraits of the former chief minister and the incumbent chief minister in the buildings of public departments. It does not contemplate convicted chief ministers and those disqualified to hold the post. It will not be appropriate for the government to continue to display the photographs of a chief minister who has been convicted by a court and subsequently disqualified from holding elected office.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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