Jayalalithaa puts thumb impression instead of signature on party candidates' nominations

CHENNAI: Three AIADMK candidates who filed their nominations for Aravakurichi, Thanjavur and Thirupparankundram assembly segments on Friday have taken party general secretary J Jayalalithaa's left thumb impression instead of her signature.

As per election rules, the candidates from a recognised party should get forms filled and signed by the head of the party. The candidates will have to fill in Form A and Form B. Form A is for getting party symbol and it carries details of the party's chief. For AIADMK, its general secretary J Jayalalithaa has to sign four times in the form. She has to sign Form B to inform the Election Commission that the candidate represents her party.

In both the forms for all the three candidates, Jayalalithaa put only her thumb impression and did not sign.

"The signatory is presently hospitalised in Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, Chennai. Since the signatory has undergone tracheotomy recently and has an inflamed right hand, she is temporally unable to affix her signature. Hence, she has affixed her left thumb impression on her own in my presence," said an attestation signed by Dr P Balaji of Madras Medical College. Another doctor from Apollo Hospitals, Dr Babu K Abraham, has signed as witness in the forms. Balaji's attestation is dated October 27.

As per the EC rules, the form must be signed in ink by party chief and no facsimile signature or signature by means of rubber stamp etc of any office-bearer will be accepted. "Thumb impression of the party leader is allowed provided he or she is not well and in a form to sign. There is no issue in putting the thumb impression," former chief election commissioner N Gopalaswami told TOI.

Meanwhile, AIADMK sources said the forms were not issued from the party's headquarters. While V Senthil Balaji filed nomination for Aravakurichi, M Rangasamy filed for Thanjavur and A K Bose for Thirupparankundram.