CEC directed to initiate action against Jaya

Chennai, June 13: Madras High Court today directed the Chief Election Commissioner and three others to initiate action against former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa within six weeks for filing false declarations before the electoral authorities while filing nominations in four constitiencies during the 2001 Assembly polls.

A Division Bench, comprising Justice Dharmarao Elipe and Mr Justice S Palanivelu, gave the direction while allowing a petition filed by DMK MP C Kuppusamy.

In its order, the Bench observed that persons holding high office/position should be role models to the general public and if they venture to commit intentional flagrant violations of the rules and laws, as in this case, it should not be taken lightly, sending wrong signals to the public that laws were meant only for the general public and not for the bigwigs.

In his petition, Mr Kuppusamy submitted that in the election for the Tamil Nadu Assembly in 2001, Ms Jayalalithaa had proposed to contest as a candidate and filed her nomination papers in four constituencies, Andipatti, Dharmapuri, Bhuvanagiri and Pudukottai, in contravention of section 33 (7) (b) of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951, and had given declaration that she had not been or would not be nominated as a candidate in more than two constituencies.

However, all her nomination papers were rejected on the ground of disqualification arising out of her conviction in a criminal case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, besides being in contravention of the said clause of RPA. Therefore, she had acted in violation of the RPA and made false declarations before the Returning Officer and that she had palpably rendered herself liable for punishment under Section 177 of IPC, he submitted.

He prayed for a direction to initiate appropriate action against her by launching prosecution.

UNI