THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday signed the Ordinance to amend a provision in the Lok Ayukta Act. The Governor’s assent came a day after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called on him at the Raj Bhavan and explained the circumstances under which the government came out with an Ordinance to amend Section 14 of the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act, 1999.
Section 14 of the Act empowers the Lok Ayukta to remove a corrupt public official from office and deter him or her from
holding the post again. The government is of view that the provision is 'constitutionally untenable' and should be amended. The Opposition has accused the government of trying to weaken the Lok Ayukta through the Ordinance.
The Opposition had met the Governor and urged him not to give assent to the Ordinance. The Governor on his part chose to defer his decision on signing the Ordiance till the Chief Minister returns from abroad. During the meeting at the Raj Bhavan on Sunday, Pinarayi told the Governor that the government has received legal opinion that it could go ahead with the amendment and sought his
assent to the Ordinance.