The State government on Monday contended before the Madras High Court that its officials were entitled to visit former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s residence Veda Nilayam at Poes Garden here since the legislature had passed the Tamil Nadu Puratchi Thalaivi Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Memorial Foundation Act, 2020.
The submission was made before Justice N. Seshasayee during the hearing of writ petitions filed by the former Chief Minister’s nephew J. Deepak and niece J. Deepa. They had been legally declared as her legal heirs.
The petitioners had challenged the acquisition proceedings and the award of over ₹67 crore passed by the acquisition officer. During the course of the hearing, advocate S.L. Sudarsanam, representing Mr. Deepak, complained to the court that even on Monday about four to five government officials were found to be inside Veda Nilayam, despite the court being seized of the two writ petitions in which the entire acquisition proceedings had been challenged.
On the other hand, Special Government Pleader E. Manoharan told the court that the Memorial Foundation Act had come into force and therefore the officials were entitled access to the residence. After hearing both sides, the judge decided to take up the writ petitions for final hearing on February 4.
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