Unveiling a portrait of a person who had been convicted by the Supreme Court of India seems to be against the law. Therefore the decision of the incumbent AIADMK government to unveil a portrait of its late leader and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly hall simply sounds very bad in law. That's why opposition parties led by the DMK have announced that they would boycott the function on Monday. 

As everybody knows, Jayalalithaa was the prime accused in the disproportionate assets case in which the Supreme Court convicted all the accused (after her death). The apex court in its verdict on 14 February, 2017 clearly held that Jayalalithaa and Sasikala criminally conspired at Poes Garden to launder ill-gotten wealth. 

The Supreme Court of India also over-ruled the Karnataka High Court. Accordingly, Sasikala and the other accused were convicted and sentenced to four years of imprisonment, as well as being fined Rs 10 crore each. The case against Jayalalithaa was, however, abated because she died but fines were levied on her properties. 

In this unique context of apparent crime and ultimate conviction, any undue glorifying of a convicted person (case abated just because she had died) will only set a very bad precedent as the late chief minister was convicted in the case. Under any neutral parameters, unveiling a portrait of a person who had been convicted by the Supreme Court seems to be against law.

For the loyal AIADMK cadres and the staunch followers of late Jayalalithaa, it may seem to be a time for celebration but not for every common man in the state who is always against adoring a convicted crime and the related leader. 

(VS Vadivel Chartered Accountant is also an eminent author, notable academician and socio-economic thinker).