<p id="thickbox_headline">Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday gave assent to an ordinance amending the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act that empowers the government to overrule Lok Aykuta orders to public servants to vacant office if corruption charges against then are proved.</p>.<p>The decision triggered strong protest with the opposition Congress flaying that the Lok Ayukta was made a toothless watchdog by the left-front government. The Congress also alleged of a mutual understanding between the Governor and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.</p>.<p>CPI, which is the second largest party in the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front, had also expressed displeasure over bringing in the ordinance. The government will have to explain the reason for bringing in the ordinance hastily, said CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran.<br /><br />The decision to bring in the ordinance had raised many eyebrows as petitions against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Higher Education Minister R Bindu were pending before the Lok Ayukta. The case against Bindu was dismissed by the Lok Ayukta the other day. Higher education minister in the previous left-front government K T Jaleel had to quit following a Lok Ayukta directive.</p>.<p>CPM leaders had justified the ordinance maintaining that the Lok Ayukta could even dislodge democratically elected governments as the government was bound to implement Lok Ayukta orders, and in many states the Lok Ayukta doesn't have such powers.</p>.<p>A proposal to include such a provision in the act was earlier rejected by a Communist government in Kerala about two decades back.</p>.<p>As per the new ordinance a provision was included in section 14 of the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act empowering the government to either accept or reject directives of Lok Ayukta to public servants to vacate office if the corruption charges were found true. The government can give an opportunity to the public servant to be heard even after the Lok Ayukta's directive.</p>.<p>Since the Kerala Governor and government were having differences over the alleged political intervention of the government in appointments in Universities, it was widely speculated that the Governor may refuse to give assent to the ordinance. The Governor had also sought clarifications from the government on the ordinance. Chief Minister Vijayan who returned on Sunday after foreign trip called on the Governor by evening and clarified the government's position.</p>.<p>Opposition leader V D Satheesan of the Congress flayed that the ordinance was a green flag to public servants to indulge in corruption. The Lok Ayukta could hereafter only bark and can't bite, he said. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged 'adjustment politics' between the Governor and government as a proposal to appoint a BJP leader in the Governor's office was pending before the government.</p>.<p>BJP state president K Surendran also reacted that the Governor should not have given assent to the ordinance.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH videos:</strong></p>
<p id="thickbox_headline">Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday gave assent to an ordinance amending the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act that empowers the government to overrule Lok Aykuta orders to public servants to vacant office if corruption charges against then are proved.</p>.<p>The decision triggered strong protest with the opposition Congress flaying that the Lok Ayukta was made a toothless watchdog by the left-front government. The Congress also alleged of a mutual understanding between the Governor and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.</p>.<p>CPI, which is the second largest party in the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front, had also expressed displeasure over bringing in the ordinance. The government will have to explain the reason for bringing in the ordinance hastily, said CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran.<br /><br />The decision to bring in the ordinance had raised many eyebrows as petitions against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Higher Education Minister R Bindu were pending before the Lok Ayukta. The case against Bindu was dismissed by the Lok Ayukta the other day. Higher education minister in the previous left-front government K T Jaleel had to quit following a Lok Ayukta directive.</p>.<p>CPM leaders had justified the ordinance maintaining that the Lok Ayukta could even dislodge democratically elected governments as the government was bound to implement Lok Ayukta orders, and in many states the Lok Ayukta doesn't have such powers.</p>.<p>A proposal to include such a provision in the act was earlier rejected by a Communist government in Kerala about two decades back.</p>.<p>As per the new ordinance a provision was included in section 14 of the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act empowering the government to either accept or reject directives of Lok Ayukta to public servants to vacate office if the corruption charges were found true. The government can give an opportunity to the public servant to be heard even after the Lok Ayukta's directive.</p>.<p>Since the Kerala Governor and government were having differences over the alleged political intervention of the government in appointments in Universities, it was widely speculated that the Governor may refuse to give assent to the ordinance. The Governor had also sought clarifications from the government on the ordinance. Chief Minister Vijayan who returned on Sunday after foreign trip called on the Governor by evening and clarified the government's position.</p>.<p>Opposition leader V D Satheesan of the Congress flayed that the ordinance was a green flag to public servants to indulge in corruption. The Lok Ayukta could hereafter only bark and can't bite, he said. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged 'adjustment politics' between the Governor and government as a proposal to appoint a BJP leader in the Governor's office was pending before the government.</p>.<p>BJP state president K Surendran also reacted that the Governor should not have given assent to the ordinance.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH videos:</strong></p>
