Kerala Governor okays amendment of Lokayukta Act

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Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday gave his assent to the ordinance promulgated by the Left government of the State to curb the powers of Lokayukta.The decision of the Governor was criticised by the Opposition Congress party which alleged that there was a deal between the ruling Left and the BJP and that they would legally fight against it.

The CPI, an ally of the ruling Left, also expressed displeasure over it while the Assembly session is scheduled a week away. The Governor signed the ordinance a day after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan apprised Khan of the circumstances that led to an ordinance to amend the Lokayukta Act. Sources from the Governor's office confirmed that Khan has signed the ordinance.

The Congress has been urging the Governor to not sign the ordinance by saying the CPI(M)-led dispensation was trying to promulgate it at a time when complaints of several irregularities of the government were pending. "We have not taken a different stand but only raised one question that is what was the emergency situation forcing the government to take the path of ordinance. Even now, we do not have any clarity on that matter. We hope the government will issue a statement when the Bill is introduced in the

Assembly on why an ordinance was issued urgently," CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran told the reporters. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan said the State government has now ensured that the Lokayukta would henceforth only bark not bite.

"None of the courts has ever said the current Act was illegal but the government is now amending it after 22 years. The decision to amend the law came when a case came against the Chief Minister. We'd like to raise the same question that the ally of the ruling Left - the CPI - had raised. Why is an ordinance passed so urgently when the Assembly session is scheduled next week?," Satheesan said.

The Congress levelled an allegation that the ordinance was part of a deal that the CPI(M) and Left have agreed upon. The Congress alleged that a file was pending before the Chief Minister to appoint an RSS leader as the personal assistant of the Governor and this ordinance was signed by the Governor so that the party leader would be appointed at the Raj Bhavan.

"The Governor and the Chief Minister are insulting the Assembly. We stand by the constitutional aspects raised against the amendment of the Act. We will move legally, Satheesan said. Congress chief K Sudhakaran said there was something fishy in the Governor signing the ordinance while there were reports that a file regarding the appointment an RSS leader at Raj Bhavan was pending before the Chief Minister.

Vijayan's meeting with the Governor on Sunday assumed significance as it was a first of its kind in recent times between them after a row had erupted over the differences between the government and the Raj Bhavan on the alleged political interference in the functioning of the universities. In December last year, the Governor wrote a letter to the Chief Minister urging the latter to remove him from the post of the Chancellor of universities, and take over.

The Chief Minister is also learnt to have briefed the Governor about his visit overseas. Vijayan went to the UAE last week after his two-week long medical treatment in the United States. He returned to Kerala on Sunday.

Union Minister V Muraleedharan said introducing the ordinance was a selfish and shameless move and an attempt to protect Vijayan and Ministers of the State Cabinet. The ordinance is a blot on democracy...Muraleedharan said in a series of tweets. He added that the ordinance was a precursor to further erosion of rule of law in Kerala. 

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