Kerala government, Congress-BJP open front in preparation for changes in Lokayukta Act

Kerala government is going to amend the Lokayukta Act. At the same time, the Kerala government has come under the target of opposition parties for its decision. Congress and BJP have taken a dig at the state government. The opposition parties alleged that the government's decision would dilute the powers of the Lokayukta and encourage corruption. Congress has urged Governor Arif Mohammad Khan not to sign the ordinance.

The Congress alleged that the CPI(M)-led government was trying to curtail the agency's powers by issuing ordinances at a time when the government had several complaints of irregularities. It is being said that the ordinance was approved during the last cabinet meeting, but it was not mentioned in the cabinet brief issued by the government later.

letter to congress governor

Opposition leader VD Sateesan has written a letter to the Governor. Satisan has appealed to the Governor not to approve the ordinance. He wrote in the letter that the government has taken this step to reduce the powers of Lokayukta. He also feared that it would destroy the existence of the Lokayukta.

Satheesan referred to Section 3 of the Kerala Lokayukta Act, 199 to state that a person can be appointed as a Lokayukta only if he has previously served as a Judge of the Supreme Court or as a Chief Justice of a High Court. He said that by appointing any former High Court judge to this post, the power of the most important institution of the state would be reduced.

BJP also opened the front

Meanwhile, BJP state president K Surendran alleged that the government took a hasty decision as the Lokayukta was contemplating some of the biggest corruption scams against the government.