Kerala Cabinet to consider legal action against Election Commission over code of conduct

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government may move the courts if the Chief Electoral Office continues to stall distribution of drinking water in tankers over code of conduct for the elections, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Monday.

Speaking to the media after a meeting of the Cabinet, the Chief Minister said that the Chief Secretary would write again to the Election Commission of India to reconsider the matter urgently and grant clearance which had been refused earlier. If clearance is not forthcoming by tomorrow, the Cabinet would meet in the afternoon to consider legal and other course of action.

Mr. Chandy said that the State could not be declared as drought-hit under Central norms. However, the government has to ensure supply of drinking water to people under any circumstances. In view of the code of conduct, the government had directed that only officials should be involved in drinking water supply. People’s representatives should keep away in view of the code of conduct though their presence should have improved the services.

The Chief Minister said that the government also wanted permission of the Commission to reopen cashew factories under government control. The government had announced free rations to the cashew workers and steps initiated to reopen the factories including purchase of raw materials before the code of conduct came into force.

The Commission had also not permitted the government to place advertisements on renewal of beneficiary lists under the Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme for fishermen. That was a continuing programme and renewal was necessary by April 1 every year.

The Commission had also stalled payments under Karunya Benevolent Scheme for medical treatment though the payments are made to institutions and not individuals. Even disbursement of funds sanctioned from Chief Minister’s Relief Fund before the announcement of the elections was not being permitted.

The Chief Minister the Commission had also objected to free distribution of ration rice though orders on implementing the Budget proposal had been issued before the code came into force. The Cabinet would consider this issue also on Tuesday.

He added that while code of conduct for elections was welcome, it should not affect normal life.

Mr. Chandy said that concessions on lease rent were granted to clubs as part of a general approach.  None of the clubs had paid the increased lease rent and large sums were in arrears.

He said that the Cabinet would examine whether the notification issued excluding the top secret branch of Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau should be changed. The notification was being wrongly interpreted.

He said that his understanding was that the police investigation into death of actor Mani was progressing well. The family members of Mani had no complaints about the probe. The delay in investigations was the result of time taken to obtain laboratory reports.