EC told to explain Jaya’s thumb print on poll form

CHENNAI : 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 election procedure in an assembly bypoll that ruling AIADMK won.

Justice P Velumurugan on Wednesday asked the EC principal secretary to explain on October 6 if the poll body authorised the doctor attending on Jayalalithaa to attest her thumb impression affixed on the election form of AIADMK candidate AK Bose.

The then 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 near Madurai.

His DMK rival P Sarvanan moved the high court, alleging that Bose violated the rules while filing his nomination paper.

Appearing for Sarvanan, advocate A Arun questioned the authenticity of Jayalalithaa’s thumb impression affixed on the ‘C form’ — which is signed by the 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.