The Madras High Court has directed K F Wilfred, principal secretary of the Election Commission, to appear on October 6 with all necessary documents in connection with the attestation of Jayalalithaa's thumb impression on documents relating to a bypoll last year.
The matter relates to a plea filed by P Saravanan, DMK candidate for the November 2016 Thirupparankundram assembly bypoll, challenging the election of AIADMK candidate A K Bose.
Justice P Velmurugan directed Wilfred to appear before the court "with all the documents mentioned in the judge's summons".
The judge was passing interim orders on an additional affidavit filed by the defeated DMK candidate, on September 22.
Saravanan had filed the petition challenging Bose's election. During the pendency of the case, he filed the present additional affidavit questioning the validity of the election documents.
He contended that the thumb impression of Jayalalithaa had been obtained without her consent and knowledge, while she was unconscious with the "connivance" of doctors who attended to the former chief minister, and others.
He had also questioned the decision taken by the Election Commission of India to accept the left thumb impression of Jayalalithaa affixed on documents filed in support of the nomination papers.
He further submitted that following the attestation, the AIADMK candidate (Bose) was allowed to contest using 'two leaves' symbol under the 'defective form A and form B' of the documents, which had materially "affected the outcome of the election".
In connection with this, State Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni and Returning Officer R Jeeva had appeared before the judge during the earlier hearings and deposed.
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