letter: ECChennai, Oct 13 (PTI) The Election Commission today saidit had accepted the left thumb impression of former chiefminister Jayalalithaa affixed on documents relating to abypoll last year based on a letter by AIADMK presidiumchairman E Madhusudhanan.
The letter had stated Jayalalithaa was not well and notin a position to sign and hence the left thumb impression wasattested by the doctor which can be taken on file, principalsecretary of the Election Commission K F Wilfred said.
Justice P Velmurugan had summoned the official for givingevidence on an election plea filed by P Saravanan, DMKcandidate for the November 2016 Thirupparankundram assemblybypoll, challenging the election of AIADMK candidate A K Bose.
When asked by counsel for Saravanan on what basis he hadaccepted the left thumb impression of the late Jayalalithaa,the official replied that it was based on a the letter onOctober 26 last year given by Madhusudhanan.
To another question whether the commission checked whoauthorised Madhusudhanan to give such a letter, the officialsaid "We believed the letter be true."Posting the matter to October 27, the judge directed DrBalaji, who attested the thumb impression, to be present incourt on that day with all the records.
During the pendency of the case, Saravanan had filed anadditional affidavit questioning the validity of the electiondocuments.
He contended that the thumb impression of Jayalalithaahad been obtained without her consent and knowledge, while shewas unconscious with the "connivance" of doctors who attendedto the former chief minister, and others.
He had also questioned the decision taken by the EC toaccept the left thumb impression of Jayalalithaa affixed ondocuments filed in support of the nomination papers.
He further submitted that following the attestation, theAIADMK candidate (Bose) was allowed to contest using 'twoleaves' symbol under the 'defective form A and form B' of thedocuments, which had materially "affected the outcome of theelection". PTI COR BNZMN.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.