CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the state government to reply within six weeks on a case filed by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's nephew J Deepak challenging the ordinance promulgated by the state to acquire her Poes Garden residence Veda Nilayam.
According to Deepak, the house was used for celebrating several functions and family events. His aunt never had any plans of converting the house into a memorial but the government has taken steps to acquire it, he said.
Claiming that the ordinance promulgated by the state government was illegal, Deepak challenged the decision in his petition.
Deepak drew the court's attention to the plea of the Poes Garden Residents Welfare Association that challenged the government's decision. He also said that the state has to take note of the objections of his sister and him after they were declared rightful heirs by the High Court.
Despite repeated representations to the state government as well as the Governor to seek information on the grounds for passing an ordinance to acquire the private property, nothing was shared, he added.
The first division bench comprising Chief Justice AP Sahi and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy after recording the submissions made by the petitioner issued the notice to the state as well as the governor to reply within six weeks to the plea.
During the hearing, appearing for the state, advocate-general Vijay Narayan submitted that the bill to acquire immovable properties of former CM Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden residence Veda Nilayam is being placed on Wednesday in the Assembly.
The court observed that it is for the petitioner to file a fresh case if the present petition becomes infructuous. The court adjourned the plea by six weeks.