President approves Kerala Lok Ayukta Bill
TRIVANDRUM: President Draupadi Murmu has given her assent to the amendment of the law aimed at clipping the wings of Kerala Lok Ayukta, the anti-corruption authority, to protect ministers.
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan’s office said she had withheld assent to three other bills, including the one removing him as the chancellor of the state’s universities.
Khan referred the bills the Kerala Assembly passed during the past two years to Murmu as the state government approached the Supreme Court against it.
“Altogether, seven Bills had been referred to the Hon’ble President in November 2023,” the governor’s office said in a press release on Thursday.
“Of these, assent has been accorded to only one bill, namely, Kerala Lok Ayukta Amendment Bill 2022.”
The Kerala Assembly can now reject any adverse order of the Lok Ayukta finding chief minister’s role in a corruption case.
The power to accept or reject the order against the ministers is now vested with the chief minister.
Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan described the Lok Ayukta Bill as murdering the state’s mechanism to prevent corruption in high places.
He said the state was following the federal government’s footsteps, which amended the Prevention of Corruption Act to protect those in power.
In 2018, the federal government made approval from a “competent authority” to investigate charges against people holding public office.
“It marks the end of a powerful tool with the people of Kerala to hold ministers responsible for their corrupt practices and ensure their resignation,” he said.
“Both the federal and state governments fear the law taking its course and catching the corrupt. It serves the interest of both.”
He said it was surprising that the bill sent to the president on November 28 was given assent so quickly, and the people indulging in looting the public money were rejoicing.
Law minister P Rajeeve welcomed the Presidential assent to the bill and described it as a setback for the governor, who has recently been criticising the government heavily.
In 2021, Kerala’s higher education minister, KT Jaleel, lost his job ater the Lok Ayukta found him guilty of nepotism.
Following this, the state started the move to clip its wings since the complaints against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and members of his cabinet also reached the panel.