Kerala govt to amend Lok Ayukta Act; Congress, BJP cry foul
India Today
Congress urged the Governor Arif Mohammmed Khan not to sign the ordinance in this connection, alleging that the Kerala government was trying to water down the powers of the Lok Ayukta.
The opposition Congress and BJP on Tuesday, January 25, came out against the reported decision of the Left government in Kerala to amend the Lok Ayukta Act, charging that it was to 'undermine' the powers of the ombudsman and to facilitate corruption.
The Congress urged the Governor Arif Mohammmed Khan not to sign the ordinance in this connection.
They alleged that the CPI(M)-led government was trying to curb the powers of the agency by promulgating an ordinance at a time when complaints of several irregularities of the government were pending before it.
The ordinance was reportedly approved during the last cabinet meeting, but there was no reference to it in the cabinet brief issued by the government later.
Appealing to the Governor not to give assent to the ordinance, Opposition Leader V D Satheesan sent a letter to him saying the move was to "waterdown" the powers of the Lok Ayukta.
It is reliably learnt that the proposed ordinance has provisions to cut down the powers of the agency to mere advisory in nature and relax the qualification of the anti-corruption agency inter alia.
He also expressed apprehension that this would destroy the very existence of the establishment of the watchdog.
