A Division Bench of the Kerala Lok Ayukta has found former Secretary of Kerala State Women’s Commission E. Ambika Amma guilty of insubordination and disobedience towards the then chairperson D. Sridevi and hence liable to pay compensation.
Acting on a complaint filed by Ms. Sridevi, the Bench comprising Lok Ayukta Pius C. Kuriakose and Upa Lok Ayukta K.P. Balachandran held that the complainant had suffered considerable hardship, mental agony, and monetary loss on account of the treatment meted out to her by Ms. Ambika Amma during her tenure as Secretary of the commission.
It found substance in Ms. Sridevi’s allegations that the Secretary had tampered with the minutes register of the commission, scuttled the commission’s decision to produce documentaries on the safety of women commuters, and refused to honour bills and vouchers pertaining to the adalat conducted by the commission.
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Another complaint that the Secretary had not cooperated in organising a State-level seminar conducted by the commission and had instead punished the staff who attended the seminar by marking them absent on that day was also substantiated.
Observing that the chairperson was an authority superior to the Member Secretary, the Bench said such acts of defiance towards the chair amounted to insubordination and disobedience. Invoking Section 13 of the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act, it ordered that there was warrant for directing Ms. Ambika Amma to pay compensation to the complainant.
The quantum of compensation would be determined after the complainant filed a claim.
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