The tenure of Justice Fathima Beevi, who died in Kerala on November 23, as Governor of Tamil Nadu during 1997-2001 was mired in controversies.
Her most controversial decision as Governor was to administer the oath of office and secrecy to former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa within hours of the AIADMK securing a majority in the Assembly elections in May 2001. Jayalalithaa had suffered disqualification from contesting elections that year on account of her conviction for a three year term in two TANSI land deal cases by a Special Court in Chennai.
However, her party legislators elected her as the leader of the AIADMK legislature party following which Jayalalithaa drove straight to the Raj Bhavan and handed over a letter conveying her election to Justice Beevi.
