Madras HC summons senior EC official over former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa's thumb impression

Jayalalithaa who was in Apollo Hospitals during October 2016 had an inflamed right hand as she had undergone tracheostomy.
AIADMK two leaves symbol (File | PTI)
AIADMK two leaves symbol (File | PTI)

CHENNAI: Election Commission of India Secretary K F Wilfred is to appear before Justice P Velmurugan of the Madras High Court at 2.15 p.m. on October 6 with necessary documents relating to the thumb impression affixed by late Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa, which authorised party candidate A K Bose to contest from Tirupparangundram Assembly constituency in the bypoll, while she was convalescing in the Apollo Hospitals.

A direction to this effect was issued by the judge, while passing interim orders on an additional affidavit filed by defeated DMK candidate P Saravanan, on September 22. Originally, challenging the election of Bose, Saravanan filed the petition. During the pendency of the case, he filed the present additional affidavit questioning the validity of the election documents.

He contended that the thumb impression of Jayalalithaa had been obtained without her consent and knowledge, while she was unconscious with the connivance of the doctors who attended the CM and others.

The AIADMK candidate defeated the DMK nominee by a sizeable margin. Immediately after the declaration of results, Saravanan filed the petition challenging the election on various grounds.
He had also questioned the decision taken by the Election Commission of India to accept the left thumb impression of Jayalalithaa affixed on documents filed in support of the nomination papers, which claimed him to be the official candidate of the AIADMK.

The DMK candidate said doctors attested her left thumb impressions on Forms A and B of election documents. As per the attestation, Bose was allowed to contest on the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol using the defective forms A and B. The DMK candidate claimed that the same materially affected his poll prospects.

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