Hasty decision

Sir, - This refers to the letter of Mr. G. Bazul Ashhab (Sept. 24). His contention that Ms. Fathima Beevi, former Governor, is not to be blamed for swearing in Ms. Jayalalithaa is unacceptable. She should have avoided haste and hurry in appointing Ms. Jayalalithaa and asked her to wait till she obtained legal opinion from experts.

It is not as if Articles 173 and 191 were not there in the statute book when Ms. Fathima Beevi considered Ms. Jayalalithaa's appointment. As a former Supreme Court judge she ought to have known about them. Either she failed to see or refused to see them and rushed through in haste.

It is good that the Supreme Court intervened effectively to interpret correctly a constitutional provision. The verdict has strengthened democracy and dealt a body blow to authoritarian attitude.

S. Nagarajan,

Chennai

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