THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress has opposed the state government allowing public health specialist Joy Elamon to continue as director general of Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) Thrissur. In a complaint to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Congress leader John Vinatious alleged that the UNDP blacklisted Elamon for fraudulent practices.
As per his service terms, Elamon should have retired early this month. But the LDF government gave him an extension, John pointed out. In his complaint, the KPCC secretary cited that, as per KILA’s code of law, the upper age limit of the DG is fixed as 60 years.
Speaking to TNIE, John said Elamon turned 60 years on July 4.
“As per Rule 43 of the Revised Memorandum of Association and Rules of KILA, a director recruited from the open market can be allowed to continue in the post till he attains 60 years. Though Elamon was allowed to continue in office, it does not have legal sanctity. Also, Elamon was blacklisted by the UNDP from March 2018 - March 2026,” he said.
It was in May 2017 that Dr Elamon, an internationally acclaimed expert on decentralisation and local governance, became the head of KILA.
Before he turned 60 years, Dr Elamon sought to relieve the letter from the government. He told TNIE that the government asked him to wait until a successor joined. “More than three months ago, I sought the government’s intervention to relieve me from my duties. But the government asked me to continue till a new DG takes over.
The allegation raised by the Congress leader on blacklisting is baseless. When I was working for the UNDP in 2011 in Uttar Pradesh, they had issued a ban on many officials for six years. I was not even a party to the issue. I had informed the CM about the ban even before I became KILA head. If the CM was not convinced, I would not have served as the DG,” Dr Elamon said.