HC adjourns Jaya's petitions to Oct 10

Chennai, Sep 13 (UNI) Madras High Court today adjourned to October 10 hearing on two petitions filed by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in connection with income tax cases.

Ms Jayalalithaa filed two petitions, one challenging an order of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Economic Offences-II), dismissing her petitions, seeking to discharge her from the three income tax cases, and the other challenging the constitutional validity of Section 278-E of the Income Tax Act.

When the petitions came up for hearing before Ms Justice Prabha Sridevan, Mr N Jyothi, appearing for Ms Jayalalithaa, furnished a copy of the Supreme Court's recent order and said the apex court had directed this court to dispose of the petitions within four months.

The outer limit was January 7, 2007. As M S Jayalalithaa had engaged senior counsel Harish Salve and Mukul Rehtoki who had given appointments in October second week the case might be adjourned to then, he said.

Vehemently opposing the plea, Additional Solicitor General V T Gopalan said the delay had continued for the last 12 years.

Mr Jyothi said the hearing might be adjourned to October 10 as the Senior Counsel would take only two days for arguments.

Following this, the judge adjourned the hearing to October 10.

UNI XR AA PK RK1905