New Delhi: The Kerala Lokayukta referred the petition, against the Pinrayi Vijayan government in Kerala of alleged misuse of the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF), to a three-judge full bench on Friday, The Indian Express reported.
The case has named CM Vijayan and 18 other state cabinet ministers as respondents.
The two-judge Lokayukta was expected to deliver the final verdict on Friday when the matter was sent to a three-judge bench because of a difference in opinion among the judges.
Former Kerala University syndicate member R S Sashi Kumar had filed a petition in 2018, alleging that the decision to provide financial assistance to the families of the late leaders, NCP’s Uzhavoor Vijayan and former Chengannur MLA K K Ramachandran Nair, and policeman P Praveen, who died in a road accident while escorting former CPM state secretary (late) Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, was out of favouritism and was unilaterally taken by CM Vijayan.
The complaint stated that the amount should be recovered from those who participated in the Cabinet meeting that made the mentioned decision. It also demanded that they should be declared ineligible if the Lokayukta found any misappropriation.
Kerala Lokayukta admitted the complaint in 2019 and issued notice to Pinarayi Vijayan and some others who were then state ministers. The trial ended a year ago, but the Lokayukta did not pronounce its verdict so far. Citing this delay, the petitioner approached the Kerala High Court against the unjustifiable delay in pronouncing the verdict.
Amid this, the Kerala government’s move to amend the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act with an ordinance last year gathered huge criticism. A bill was passed amending the Lokayukta bill, which gives the appellate powers to the state cabinet, but the same is on hold with the governor for signature.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders from the Congress including Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan, KPCC President K Sudhakarann and Ramesh Chennithala, have raised suspicions about the delay of the Lokayukta decision and doubted if this reference to the three-bench itself was obtained by force from the authority.