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MADRAS, India, Friday (Reuters) Convicted Indian politician Jayaram Jayalalitha quit as chief minister of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu on Friday after India's Supreme Court ruled her appointment unconstitutional.

The ruling was a stinging rebuff to the former movie star-turned-politician who led her AIADMK party to a sweeping win in state elections last May despite being barred from running herself because of her conviction on corruption charges.

Jayalalitha, known as "amma" or mother to her legions of followers, said AIADMK party legislators would meet later on Friday to elect a new legislature leader. The new leader would then ask the state governor to appoint him or her chief minister.

There has been widespread media speculation that Jayalalitha, 53, undisputed chief of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party (AIADMK), might seek to have a pliant proxy named leader in her stead.

The court said Jayalalitha's appointment as chief minister was illegal because of her conviction last year on charges of graft and misuse of public funds stemming from an earlier stint in office between 1991 and 1996. She has appealed the conviction.

"I am confident that I will be acquitted in the case which led to my disqualification and I would be resuming the office of chief minister very soon," she said.

Jayalalitha, whose party is allied regionally with India's main opposition Congress party, asked her followers to remain calm. She said she feared her opponents would use any disturbance to seek imposition of direct federal rule on the state.

"All the court ruling has done is to say my appointment is illegal," she said. "Our legislators are still intact and the next government is still going to be our party government."

Jayalalitha was named chief minister under a law allowing politicians to be appointed to office for a six-month period during which time they must get elected. But the court unanimously ruled the law did not apply to someone convicted of a criminal offence.

"Her appointment on May 14, 2001, is illegal and she cannot continue as chief minister," Judge S.P. Bharucha said.

The five judges said there was a clear infringement of the constitution in Jayalalitha's case as she was disqualified from contesting elections when she was appointed chief minister.

Political analysts welcomed the ruling, saying it sent a message to politicians that no one was above the law.

"This is an unambiguous message from the highest court in the land to the political class, that no one can claim immunity from the law merely because they enjoy popular support," said political analyst Venkataraman Murali.

The court ruling followed a slew of public interest suits challenging the legality of her appointment.

Jayalalitha, known for her imperious style, has been rarely out of the headlines since her party won power. In July, she shocked the nation when she ordered the arrest of her predecessor and arch rival Muthuvel Karunanidhi and two federal ministers.

She backed down and released the politicians a couple of days later after opponents demanded the dismissal of her administration and the imposition of direct federal rule.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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