CHENNAI: Justice Subramonium Prasad, forming part of a division bench of the Madras High Court headed by Justice S Manikumar has recused himself from hearing a PIL petition challenging construction of a memorial for late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on the Marina.
When the petition from M L Ravi of George Town area came up for hearing on Friday,
Justice Prasad said since he had represented Jayalalithaa before the Supreme Court, it would not be proper for him to hear the case. Justice Manikumar directed that the PIL be posted before the Chief Justice for placing it before some other bench.
The PIL prayed for a directive to the authorities concerned not to spend money from public exchequer for construction of the memorial and to take steps to recover the money, if any spent, by the government from her property or any other source. The interim prayer is to restrain the authorities from constructing the memorial.
Petitioner contended that a memorial should not be constructed for a person, who had been convicted by the trial court in disproportionate assets case and confirmed by the Supreme Court.
A fortnight ago, five PILs challenging the construction of the memorial were withdrawn by the parties concerned to facilitate allotment of a site for burying the mortal remains of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.