SC sets aside Madras HC order of retrieve thumb impression of Jayalalithaa

The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside the Madras High Court order as per which the Karnataka central prison authorities had to submit former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa's fingerprints before the court, in an election petition, filed by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate P. Saravanan.

The court asked the Madras High Court to proceed with the case without the said fingerprints.

In December 2017, the top court had put a stay on the same, after the Madras High Court in November directed the jail authorities of the prison and the regional officials of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to produce the thumb impressions of Jayalalithaa, to the court.

The direction was, made after Saravanan, questioned the authenticity of Jayalalithaa's left thumb impression found on All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) candidate AK Bose's nomination papers.

Saravanan argued that Jayalalithaa had been hospitalised and unconscious when the fingerprints were taken.