The Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualifications) Amendment Bill, designed to facilitate the appointment of CPI(M) veteran V.S. Achuthanandan as chairman of the proposed fourth Kerala Administrative Reforms Commission with Cabinet rank, was adopted by the Assembly here on Tuesday.
Prior to this, the Opposition staged a walkout, with Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala declaring that the UDF did not want to have anything to do with the Bill.
Earlier, presenting his dissent note, Mr. Chennithala said the Bill was intended to put an end to the internal power struggle in the CPI(M).
The ruling party was playing “dirty politics” by introducing such a Bill. At the same time, V.S. Achuthanandan had stated publicly that he was not interested in a position of power.
“This Bill is designed to silence Mr. Achuthanandan who had criticised the appointment of M.K. Damodaran as adviser to the Chief Minister and Mr. Damodaran’s arguing of cases for lottery tycoon Santiago Martin and the quarry mafia,” Mr. Chennithala said.
In his intervention, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said the aim of the Bill was to establish that Mr. Achuthanandan was one who was craving for power and position.
K.C. Joseph, in his speech, dubbed the Bill a “VS accommodation bill”. If the Chief Minister were to become the chairman of the proposed commission, then such a Bill would not be required in the first place, he pointed out. The “immoral bill” should be withdrawn, he added.
Expenditure reduced
Law Minister A.K. Balan said the LDF government strived to reduce expenditure by cutting down the number of personal staff permissible to a minister and by capping the number of ministers at 19. The reduction in personal staff alone had effected savings of Rs.40 crore in TA, DA, and salary, he said.
Even if the LDF government tried, it would not be able to match the profligacy of the previous UDF government. The commission was being thought of as administrative reforms were inevitable in the State, he added.
Once the Bill was passed, the Speaker adjourned the House sine die.
