HC puts opening of Jaya residence for public on hold

CHENNAI: The Madras high court on Wednesday allowed the Tamil Nadu government to proceed with the inauguration scheduled on Thursday to open late chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s residence, Veda Nilayam, as a memorial, but did not allow the entry of visitors until further hearings on the case.

The court observed that it was constrained to allow the opening so that it does not cause difficulties to the government, which has already made arrangements for the inauguration when it should have restrained from holding such a function.

Justice N Seshasayee passed the interim order based on writ petitions filed by Jayalalithaa’s legal heirs -- her niece J Deepa and nephew J Deepak-- against the government’s acquisition of the property and decision to convert it into a museum and throw it open to the public on Thursday. Even though the case was posted for February 4, the court heard the case on Wednesday on their request, “keeping aside the consideration of the main controversy involving the legality of the acquisition.”

The opening ceremony “will not in any way confer any right to the government, nor deprive the petitioners of their right in the subject matter of the writ petitions,” the court order said. It also placed a list of conditions-only the main gates can be opened, but the building, and no banners are allowed. Once the function is over, keys to the

property have to be handed over to the registrar general of the court. “Since the inventory (of moveable assets) has not been completed, the right, title and the interest of the heirs cannot be marginalised..,” said Deeapk’s counsel S L Sudarsanam.

Jayalalithaa had been living in this property, which she purchased in the 1960s, until the time of her death in December 2016. The government enacted a legislation last year establishing a foundation for the property’s upkeep to be turned into a memorial.