Thiruvananthapuram: With Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s move to send an ordinance to Governor Arif Mohammad Khan diluting the powers of the Lokayukta coming under criticism, state Law Minister P Rajeev said on Tuesday that the act is aimed at bringing the anti-corruption body at par with those in other states.
“The first Pinarayi Vijayan government had taken up the issue, but now the advocate general has said that the present powers of the Lokayukta stand in the way of natural justice and are also not in tune with the Constitution. Besides, there are also two judgments to this effect from the Kerala High Court. Based on all this, the amendment to Kerala Lokayukta Ordinance was sent to the Governor,” said Rajeev.
Meanwhile, the media is abuzz with earlier statements of various CPI-M leaders, including that of the party’s General Secretary Sitaram Yechuri, batting for the need of a strong Lokpal and Lokayukta.
According to critics, with Vijayan and state Higher Education Minister R Bindhu facing serious charges in separate cases before the Kerala Lokayukta, the Chief Minister’s easy way to get out of the trouble was an Ordinance diluting its powers.
Apparently, the amendment to the Ordinance was cleared by the Vijayan Cabinet last Wednesday, when he appeared online from his hospital bed in the US, taking away all its powers and leaving it a mere recommendatory body.
Former Kerala Upa Lokayukta, KP Balachandran, has strongly criticised the tweaking of the powers of the Lokayukta.
“To kill is easy, but to give life is difficult. If the powers are tweaked, the best thing is to dissolve this institution as it costs a huge sum of money to the exchequer. And to keep it going without powers is of no use, hence it is better to wind it up,” he said.
Leader of Opposition, VD Satheesan, wrote to Khan stating: “It is reliably learnt that the proposed ordinance which is before your goodself has provisions to cut down the powers of the Lokayukta, to relax the qualification of the Lokayukta inter alia and I am afraid that these changes will only destroy the very existence of the anti-corruption establishment.
“This is against the very essence of Lokayukta. Kindly note that Lokayukta was established as an establishment to curb corruption and mismanagement. Its role in preventing corruption and resolving common man’s grievances is unfathomable. Therefore, taking into consideration the public interest, your goodself is requested to abstain from giving your assent to the Lokayukta Ordinance which is intended to destroy Lokayukta.”
Terming the move the “biggest hypocrisy”, former Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala told the media that once the Left was in favour of a Lokpal Bill to tackle corruption, besides issues of the government and others holding public office.
The central committee of the CPI-M for long has been batting for more powers in the Lokpal Bill.
“After every Cabinet meeting, there comes a list of the decisions taken. Last Wednesday, the list contained this important decision. This is how Vijayan works. He says one thing and does just the opposite,” said Chennithala.
In April 2021, soon after the Assembly elections, the Kerala Lokayukta had ruled that then state Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel had violated his oath of office and appointed his relative, following which Jaleel had to quit.
“Vijayan has been accused of misusing funds from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund and a petition is lying before the Lokayukta. So is my petition against Bindhu. They know that both these petitions have merit and are hence scared of an adverse remark. This is their new ploy to get away. We all wish that Khan does not give assent to this. Moreover, the Assembly session is just round the corner and the reason for this undue haste is clear,” added Chennithala.