Madras HC declares former CM Jayalalithaa's nephew, niece as her legal heir

The Madras High Court has recognised former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakumar and nephew Deepak Jayakumar as direct heirs as per the Hindu Succession Act as she was unmarried.

The Poes Garden property in "Veda Nilayam" was inherited by Jayalalithaa from her mother Sandhya and hence, Deepa and Deepak who are son and daughter of Jayalalithaa's brother Jayakumar and Sandhya's grandson/daughter are the legal heirs of Jayalalithaa's properties.

"Being the children of late Chief Minister Dr. J Jayalalithaa's brother Mr. J.Jayakumar have become legal heirs of late Chief Minister Dr.J Jayalalithaa. Therefore, in respect of the properties inherited by the late Chief Minister Dr. J Jayalalithaa from her mother, the petitioner and the respondent are the legal heirs as per Section 15(2)(a) of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956," said the high court clarification order.

The Madras HC has also ordered that they are entitled to succeed the "Veda Nilayam" of Jayalalithaa as that is technically the ancestral property.

READ | SC Allows Tamil Nadu Govt To Use Four Floors Of Pvt Hospital For COVID Patients

Challenge to EPS

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has started the works to convert the Veda Nilayam into a Jayalalithaa memorial, after acquiring the property following Governor Banwarilal Purohit's promulgating an order. It is a challenge before CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami and the AIADMK leadership as they have already promised to convert their leader's house into a memorial.

After the Court's order, the government has to get consent or pay compensation to the niece and nephew of Jayalalithaa before doing anything. The earlier order of Madras HC said that Deepa and Deepak are just class II heirs of Jayalalithaa, but the clarification order says that they are the direct heirs and can inherit the ancestral property.

READ | Hundreds Participate In Funeral Of Last Tamil Nadu Zamindar; Mantri Flouts Lockdown Rules

Contentious properties

Though former CM Jayalalithaa had many properties including the Kodanadu Estate and Paiyanur Bungalow in the outskirts of Chennai, they are either under investigation or litigation since it's attached to a property case. Poes garden "Veda Nilayam" is currently the property that doesn't have any such kind of complexity and hence the niece and nephew of the former AIADMK supremo are keen to acquire it.

READ | MHC Suggests To Convert Former TN CM Jayalalithaa's Poes Garden Residence As CM Office

READ | Jayalalithaa's Veda Nilayam Residence To Be Turned Into A Memorial, Govt Takes Possession