The Tamil Nadu government on Monday informed the Madras High Court that it would consider the plea of Deepa Jayakumar, the niece of former chief minister J.Jayalalithaa over converting the late leader's residence at Poes Garden in Chennai into a memorial.
Deepa had approached the high court against the government decision on Veda Nilayam and said that she and her brother Deepak were the rightful heirs to Jayalalithaa's properties under the Hindu Succession Act of 1956. The court had issued notice asking the Tamil Nadu government to take into account Deepa’s plea and take the decision accordingly.
On Monday, after the Edappadi K. Palanisamy-led government made the assurance that it would consult the blood relatives of Jayalalithaa, including Deepa and Deepak, the court disposed of the petition.
Deepa and Deepak had earlier applied for a legal heir certificate at the local Thasildhar office, saying they are the sole legal heirs of Jayalalithaa. But the Thasildhar office turned it down and asked the duo to approach the court. On October 8, Deepa, quoting government’s press statement, filed a writ petition in the court.
Deepa claimed that her paternal grandmother Vedavalli had bought properties in and around Chennai and died in 1971. So, her son Jayakumar and daughter Jayalalithaa lived in the Poes Garden house.
