A significant standoff has emerged in Kerala politics with the BJP launching a legal offensive against the state cabinet’s choice of retired Justice Babu Mathew P. Joseph for the Lokpal role overseeing local bodies. Party leaders hand-delivered their objections to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, framing the decision as a direct assault on statutory norms.
Saturday’s meeting at Lok Bhawan featured BJP Kerala chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Advocate S. Suresh, who meticulously cited Section 5(3) of the Kerala Lokayukta Act, 1999. This provision locks out former Lokayuktas from any profit-bearing posts under governmental umbrellas, including the taxpayer-funded Lokpal position.
The petition dismantles potential loopholes, insisting the law’s clarity demands compliance without exception. ‘Violations will not stand legal muster and face certain nullification in courts,’ it declares. The BJP also spotlights risks to institutional credibility, arguing that bypassing eligibility erodes the autonomy of bodies tasked with grassroots oversight.
Public trust in local governance hinges on uncompromised vigilance mechanisms, the leaders maintained, urging rigorous enforcement. They beseeched the Governor to wield his discretionary powers and bounce the cabinet note back for statutory realignment.
Echoing the event, Raj Bhavan’s social media update on X recapped the petition’s focus on the Act’s provisions. This confrontation amplifies BJP’s voice in Kerala, challenging executive overreach and advocating for a governance model rooted in legal fidelity.