KOCHI: The Vizhinjam Judicial Commission constituted to examine the deal signed between the previous UDF Government and the Adani Group for Vizhinjam port development project, sought the government's stand on impleading the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in the inquiry on Wednesday. The move came after the government did not provide the Commission with clarity over its terms of reference despite being asked thrice. Headed by Justice C N Ramachandran Nair, the Commission asked whether it had the power to implead the CAG in the inquiry after several procedural lapses were revealed in the CAG report on the project.
The government has been urged to respond during the next sittings of the Commission, scheduled from April 16 to 19 and April 23 to 26. The commission will also consider the provisions for sending a notice to the CAG to confirm certain points in its report. Confirmation will be sought on whether CAG prepared the report after going through the agreement signed between the government and the Adani Group.
It warned some of its findings may affect the CAG's credibility and to avoid this, the CAG's version has to be heard. The Commission was also critical about including Thulasidharan Pillai in the auditing group, after he wrote several articles against the port deal in magazines. The points Pillai raised in the articles were repeated in the CAG report, said the Commission which also criticised the CAG report for comparing the Colachel Port with the Vizhinjam port.