In a bold move against what they deem an illegal appointment, BJP leaders in Kerala have directly approached Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to contest the state cabinet’s decision to appoint retired Justice Babu Mathew P. Joseph as Lokpal for local self-government bodies.
On Saturday, BJP Kerala unit president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and general secretary Advocate S. Suresh met the Governor at Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram. They submitted a detailed petition highlighting violations of the Kerala Lokayukta Act, 1999, specifically Section 5(3), which bars former Lokayuktas or Upa-Lokayuktas from holding any post of profit under the government, authorities, corporations, companies, societies, or universities.
The leaders argued that the Lokpal position, funded by government salaries, falls squarely under this prohibition. ‘There is no room for arbitrary interpretation of this clear statutory bar,’ their letter stated emphatically. They warned that any such appointment would be legally invalid and ripe for judicial scrutiny.
Beyond the legal angle, the BJP expressed deep concerns over institutional integrity. Allowing such appointments, they cautioned, could erode the independence of statutory oversight bodies meant to monitor grassroots governance. Maintaining public trust in these institutions demands strict adherence to eligibility criteria, the petition emphasized.
Urging the Governor to exercise his constitutional discretion, the BJP requested that the cabinet decision be sent back for reconsideration on legal grounds. This intervention underscores the party’s commitment to upholding the rule of law in Kerala’s administrative framework.
The Raj Bhavan confirmed the meeting on social media platform X, noting the leaders’ reference to the 1999 Act in opposing Justice Joseph’s appointment. As Kerala navigates this controversy, the Governor’s response could set a precedent for future appointments, balancing executive decisions with statutory mandates.