Kerala Chief Minister meets Governor over Lokayukta ordinance

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who returned to the state capital early on Sunday after a visit to the US and the UAE, met Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at the Raj Bhavan.

During the meeting, that lasted an hour, he apprised the Governor of the new ordinance that the state government is bringing on the Lokayukta and explained the reason for it.

The Governor, according to sources in Raj Bhavan, informed Vijayan that the state opposition leaders had submitted a petition to him against signing the ordinance.

Chief Minister, according to sources, however, told the Governor that Section 14 of the Lokayukta Act is against Articles 163 and Article 164 of the Constitution and that the Lokayukta infringes upon the rights of the cabinet.

After the Chief Minister personally meeting the Governor, it is now for the latter to take a call on the ordinance on Lokayukta and if he does not sign the ordinance, then it will have to be discussed in the Assembly.

The Kerala Government has brought in an ordinance to amend the Kerala Lokayukta Act in a manner that gives it powers to reject the report of the anti-corruption ombudsman.

The state cabinet had, in a meeting, recommended to the Kerala Governor to issue the ordinance to amend Kerala Lokayukta Act, 1999, to give powers to the government to "either accept or reject the verdict of the Lokayukta, after giving an opportunity of being heard".

During the previous LDF government led by Vijayan, Higher Education Minister, K.T. Jaleel had to resign after the Lokayukta had found that he had abused his office.

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheeshan has, in a letter to the Governor, said that the proposed ordinance would curtail the power of the Lokayukta to mere advisory in nature.

Source: IANS