Her priority as CM

Sir, - Your Editorial, Ms. Jayalalitha as Chief Minister, (May 15): you have rightly pointed out that Ms. Jayalalitha has shown little regard for legal niceties and moral proprieties in assuming the office of Chief Minister.

She has always maintained that all the cases against her have been foisted on her. Now she may not fail to see that the cases in which she has not been convicted are withdrawn immediately. You have stated that the cases filed against her should be conducted in a fair manner. Ms. Jayalalitha will show her haste in dealing with the cases filed against her, similar to the assumption of Chief Ministership and see that all pending cases are withdrawn immediately so that the legal battle is over.

Moreover, she will fight in the Supreme Court with all her might to see that the interpretation of `conviction' and `sentence' are one and the same and when the sentence is set aside automatically the conviction is also annulled, as there are differences of opinion among the legal experts over this. Within six months, she will try to get out of the conviction to enable her to contest the election and get elected.

T.R. Viswanathan,

Madurai

Sir, - You have correctly observed that ``Ms. Jayalalitha has to squarely address the issues that cast a shadow on the moral legitimacy'' of her occupying the Chief Minister's chair.

The framers of the Constitution while codifying Article 164 (4), being men of high caliber and integrity, obviously did not have this kind of situation in mind while providing six months period for an outsider to become Chief Minister.

That provision of law cannot be taken advantage of by Ms. Jayalalitha.

It is anybody's guess that within the period of six months as Chief Minister, she will leave no stone unturned by getting all the cases against her withdrawn or by adopting some other unethical methods to continue in power.

She has proved that she has no respect for law by getting herself, sworn in as Chief Minister in such a hurry, ignoring the advise of several persons to get herself cleared first in the cases against her and then stake her claim.

Ms. Jayalalitha has proved, as on earlier occasions, that she is no mood to listen to sane advise.

C. Lakshmi Narain,

Chennai

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