SC notice on Jaya Jaitley's plea to visit ailing George Fernandes

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today sought the response of Leila Kabir, wife of former Defence Minister George Fernandes, on a petition by his close political associate Jaya Jaitley seeking permission to visit the ailing 82-year-old leader.

A bench of justices P Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi issued notice on the limited question of "visitation rights" sought by Jaitley.

The apex court granted two weeks time to the respondent to file her response but refrained from staying the Delhi High Court order as sought by the counsel for the petitioner.

The high court had on April 17 denied permission to Jaitley to visit the ailing leader, while dismissing her plea for impleadment in the civil suit filed by Fernandes' brothers seeking access to the leader, who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

The high court had said that she had no legal rights to claim visitation rights to the former Samata Party leader.

Jaitley in her plea, before the high court, had sought permission to visit the ailing leader on the ground that she has been a close political colleague and confidante of Fernandes for more than 30 years and that he required aid and assistance from his old friend.

She had claimed Fernandes should not be deprived of his basic human rights to meet acquaintances and friends.

Her plea was opposed by Fernandes's wife and also his brothers on the ground of locus standi. They had said since she could not assert her legal status, she could not be added as a party.