Jayalalithaa still CM on government websites

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | C S KOTTESWARAN

Chennai: Government websites and portals of state transport corporations have been awaiting updates for the past two months.

According to government portals, Ms Jayalalithaa who passed away last month is still the state chief minister. Public Information and basic government orders are also not updated on various government sites since September.

Screenshots of Tamil Nadu state Transport Corporation website and Arasu cable website showing Jayalalihaa as Chief minister.

Though the state’s primary website (tn.gov.in) carries the portrait of O. Panneerselvam as the state’s CM, other government websites like that of the State Express Transport Corporation, Chennai Corporation, State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu and Tamil Nadu Tourism maintain the portrait of Ms Jayalalithaa along with the department logo, though it is a regular protocol for government sites to have the picture of the incumbent chief minister. Meanwhile, the information department and other government departments are also yet to fix the portraits of Chief Minister O. Pannerselvam at government offices, especially in the state secretariat. It may be noted that Panneerselvam assumed office as chief minister on December 6.

“The video campaigns publicised by the information department at cinema theatres are also old and need a revamp. There is nothing wrong in campaign materials speaking about former CMs like MGR and Jayalalithaa as they were iconic leaders, but the incumbent CM’s portrait should also be there, ” said K G S Vasan, a native of Ernakulam, now settled in Chennai.

When contacted, state information minister M. Manikandan said that the directorate of information and public relations is the department that provides content and photographs to be uploaded for all government websites. Both the non-updates of public information details (on schemes and government orders) and the replacement of pictures will be taken up with the DIPR for further action,” he responded.