THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the special assembly session beginning on Monday, the Kerala Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022, remains a bone of contention between the CPM and the CPI. After the CPI leaders aired strong disapproval against the bill in its current form, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had taken the initiative to resolve the imbroglio by inviting them to the AKG Centre for talks. A top CPI leader, on condition of anonymity, told TNIE that the meeting was cordial but a consensus could not be found.
“The CPI raised its concerns with the chief minister. If required, further talks will be held. We are hopeful of resolving the issue,” the CPI leader said. The special session, which is expected to be stormy, is primarily aimed at enacting legislation replacing earlier ordinances. On the eve of the 15th Kerala assembly’s sixth session, the top brass of the two major LDF constituents was huddled at the AKG Centre. Law Minister P Rajeeve, CPI secretary Kanam Rajendran and senior CPI leader Pannyan Raveendran were among those who attended the 30-minute meeting.
It is learnt Pinarayi apprised the CPI leaders about the legal implications if the bill is not passed in the form mentioned in the ordinance. It should be recalled that the CPI leadership was not keen to dilute the Lok Ayukta’s powers, which would mean clipping the wings of the governor. Pinaryi’s anguish is that the new bill will not have retrospective effect if passed as a new law rather than as a continuation of the ordinance, which has expired.
The LDF government has been forced to present the bill as Governor Arif Mohammed Khan refused to sign the extension of the ordinance. If the bill comes into force in the proposed form, the chief minister will act as the “competent authority”. Interestingly, the CPI does not want to see the chief minister taking a call over allegations of corruption and misuse of power by his cabinet ministers. Instead, their demand is that a high-level committee with members having independent views should be appointed.
The Opposition is also expected to express their strong displeasure on the Kerala Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022. The Opposition’s concern is that the anti-corruption body created to check corruption in the government will be weakened.
The special session -- convened after 11 ordinances lapsed on August 8 with the governor refusing to give his assent for their re-promulgation — will see 10 days of proceedings and will conclude on September 2. The session will deal exclusively with legislation and as many as 20 ordinances, including the 11 that lapsed, are likely to be introduced as bills. On Monday, the session will see only a commemorative programme on the 75th anniversary of independence.
Cordial meet