News and Views

Kerala Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau continues to deny information on vigilance inquiries against ministers and All India Service Office despite the announcement by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to the contrary.

The Chief Minister’s contention was that that it was an office circular issued by the Bureau that gave the impression that the Cabinet’s decision to exclude the Top Secret Section of the Bureau from the purview of information requests under RTI Act was aimed at protecting ministers, legislators and All India Service officers. The circular was withdrawn but information continue to be denied.

Kerala is reeling under hot sun.

Most of the streams and rivers have dried up. Though occasional summer rain occurred in many parts of the State this month, the temperatures came down only for a few days.

Kerala State Information Commission has ordered that local self-governments should accept court fee stamp of Rs. 10 as fee for RTI applications.

Some State Public Information Officers of local bodies had refused to accept applications affixed with court fee stamp and demanding cash payments on the ground that they were not government departments.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s Office has released the chronology of actions taken by various governments over 45 years to refute allegations relating to in the allotment of land to United Breweries of Vijay Mallya in Palakkad district.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said on Friday that the media had raised a controversy over it by misrepresenting the chronology. The title was granted as part of proceedings that had started 45 years ago. The media was being cruel in reporting that that this was a land deal brokered by the present government towards the end of its term.

Thiruvananthapuram: Filing of nominations for Assembly elections began in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry which go to polls on May 16.

The notifications for the elections were issued in the morning.

About 10 leaders from main contesting parties and around 20 others filed their nominations for Assembly elections in Kerala on Friday.