Plea for removal of Jaya’s portrait rejected by HC

Chennai, April 27: The Madras high court on Friday rejected a plea seeking removal of late Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa’s portrait from the state Assembly.

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.

He had sought removal of the portrait on grounds that Jayalalithaa was found guilty on corruption charges.

The bench observed that it may be morally wrong to glorify the corrupt. However, in the absence of any law prohibiting the display of portraits of a person convicted of corruption, this court cannot interfere in the matter on that ground.

Such interference might amount to imposition of a punishment not authorised by law, it said.

“It is not for this court exercising its jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution ( relating to power of high courts to issue certain writs) to sit on appeal over administrative decision of the Speaker or officials of the Legislative Assembly,” the bench said in its order.

The decision to unveil the portrait in the House was taken by state Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal. The petitioner had submitted that Jayalalithaa was convicted by a special court of graft charges. Later the same was set aside by the Karnataka HC and on an appeal the Supreme Court found all the accused guilty of the charges. In view of her demise, appeals against Jayalalithaa were treated as abated.