T’puram: Leader of opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday criticised home minister Ramesh Chennithala for convening a high-level meeting with the lok ayukta and upa lok ayuktas.Vijayan described the move as ‘highly serious‘ and ‘anti-democratic‘, alleging that it was an attempt by the UDF govt to bring an independent institution under executive control.The meeting, attended by senior officials including director general of prosecutions Asaf Ali, additional chief secretary of the home department and law secretary, undermined the spirit of the Constitution and Kerala Lokayukta Act, 1999, he said.“A minister directly summoning the lok ayukta and upa lok ayuktas is contrary to the constitutional principle of separation of the executive and judiciary and undermines the dignity of an independent justice system,” Vijayan said.He alleged that Chennithala, whose office fell within the lok ayukta’s jurisdiction, had summoned the institution’s heads and issued directions to them. The presence of govt representatives and the prosecution chief at the meeting could also raise doubts about the lok ayukta’s impartiality, he said.Vijayan accused UDF functionaries of adopting double standards, saying they had defended the lok ayukta’s autonomy while in opposition but opposed the LDF govt’s amendment to the Lokayukta Act.He said govt should ensure that such institutions function independently.
