CHENNAI: Worried that nearly one-third of its tenure has remained unfruitful due to the Supreme Court stay on its proceedings, the Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry probing circumstances resulting in the death of former chief minister Jayalalithaa has nudged Tamil Nadu government to get hearing in the apex court expedited.
Constituted first on September 25, 2017, the tenure of the commission expires on June 24, 2020. The commission which has got seven extensions so far, has examined more than 145 witnesses, including ministers, bureaucrats and doctors privy to the treatment of Jayalalithaa during her 75-day hospitalisation at Apollo.
While Jayalalithaa’s confidante N Sasikala submitted voluminous documents after being summoned, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, who was the chief minister during the crucial period preceding and following Jayalalithaa’s death, studiously avoided appearing before it, though it was at his insistence, as part of his reunion deal with Edappadi K Palaniswami-led faction of the AIADMK, that the commission itself was formed.
Its proceedings were halted on April 26, 2019, when Apollo Hospitals moved the Supreme Court and got a stay of its proceedings. The hospital’s appeal was against the commission’s order rejecting its request to constitute a 21-member medical experts committee to handle medical issues surrounding treatment given to Jayalalitlhaa.
On October 15, 2019, the commission wrote to Tamil Nadu government requesting it to instruct its law officer in the Supreme Court to file a petition to get the stay vacated. It was finally filed on behalf of the government on December 10, 2019. Again, on February 20, 2020, it requested the government to instruct its law officer in the apex court not to allow deletion of the case from the list. On May 28, the commission yet again wrote to Tamil Nadu government requesting it to instruct its law officer to ensure that the case is listed and taken up for early hearing.
The commission cannot fight the case on its own, as the very terms of reference of the inquiry themselves had been challenged. The case was listed for hearing on January 6, 2020, and then on January 9, 2020. After being listed and removed intermittently since then, it was last seen on advance cause list of the apex court on March 24, 2020. Then came the Covid-19 lockdown. As the summer recess of the apex court has been rescheduled till June 1, the commission’s case never stood a chance to be heard before that.
Now, the commission has written to the government to extend its tenure for four months beyond June 25, 2020, and to extend the tenure of support staff for four months from July 10, 2020.
Constituted first on September 25, 2017, the tenure of the commission expires on June 24, 2020. The commission which has got seven extensions so far, has examined more than 145 witnesses, including ministers, bureaucrats and doctors privy to the treatment of Jayalalithaa during her 75-day hospitalisation at Apollo.
While Jayalalithaa’s confidante N Sasikala submitted voluminous documents after being summoned, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, who was the chief minister during the crucial period preceding and following Jayalalithaa’s death, studiously avoided appearing before it, though it was at his insistence, as part of his reunion deal with Edappadi K Palaniswami-led faction of the AIADMK, that the commission itself was formed.
Its proceedings were halted on April 26, 2019, when Apollo Hospitals moved the Supreme Court and got a stay of its proceedings. The hospital’s appeal was against the commission’s order rejecting its request to constitute a 21-member medical experts committee to handle medical issues surrounding treatment given to Jayalalitlhaa.
On October 15, 2019, the commission wrote to Tamil Nadu government requesting it to instruct its law officer in the Supreme Court to file a petition to get the stay vacated. It was finally filed on behalf of the government on December 10, 2019. Again, on February 20, 2020, it requested the government to instruct its law officer in the apex court not to allow deletion of the case from the list. On May 28, the commission yet again wrote to Tamil Nadu government requesting it to instruct its law officer to ensure that the case is listed and taken up for early hearing.
The commission cannot fight the case on its own, as the very terms of reference of the inquiry themselves had been challenged. The case was listed for hearing on January 6, 2020, and then on January 9, 2020. After being listed and removed intermittently since then, it was last seen on advance cause list of the apex court on March 24, 2020. Then came the Covid-19 lockdown. As the summer recess of the apex court has been rescheduled till June 1, the commission’s case never stood a chance to be heard before that.
Now, the commission has written to the government to extend its tenure for four months beyond June 25, 2020, and to extend the tenure of support staff for four months from July 10, 2020.
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