Jaya portrait to stay

The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a bunch of  pleas that took objection to the display of portraits of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa in the Assembly and government offices, DHNS reports from Chennai.

The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice A Selvam, before which the PILs came up, dismissed them.

The petitions wanted the court to quash a government order that does not prohibit the  display of portraits and photographs of chief ministers who have been convicted  or found guilty of corruption charges by a court of law.

One petition also sought to remove the mortal remains of Jayalalithaa from Marina Beach and to forbear the government from raising any memorial for her with funds from the state exchequer.

Jayalalithaa's conviction in the DA case was set aside as she was not alive when the judgement was delivered.

Despite Opposition, the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal unveiled her portrait in the House in February.