Privilege notice against Kerala FM referred to Ethics panel Adds details

The notice was moved by V D Satheeshan, Congress MLA, after Isaac revealed contents of the CAG report against the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Board (KIIFB) to the media before it was tabled in the House. This is the first time in the state's history that a privilege notice against a minister is being forwarded to the privileges and ethics committee.

In a first in the state, Kerala Assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan on Wednesday referred the breach of privilege notice against Finance Minister Thomas Isaac,to the ethics committee, with the Congress and BJP demanding the minister's resignation. The notice was moved by V D Satheeshan, Congress MLA, after Isaac revealed contents of the CAG report against the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Board (KIIFB) to the media before it was tabled in the House.

This is the first time in the state's history that a privilege notice against a minister is being forwarded to the privileges and ethics committee. The Speaker said he had forwarded the privilege notice along with the reply filed by the minister, for the consideration of the privilege and ethics committee of the state Assembly. Satheeshan had moved a notice, under Section 159 of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Rules of Procedure and conduct of Business, against the minister for making public the details of the draft CAG report before it was tabled in the assembly.

"Privilege and ethics committee of the Assembly will take further decisions.We have handed over the breach of privilege notice and the Minister's reply to the notice to the committee," Sreeramakrishnan told reporters here. Certain important issues have been mentioned in the complaint of the Opposition MLA while serious matters have been pointed out by the Minister in his reply and both need to be addressed by the committee,he said.

"Since the formation of the state, this is probably the first time, such an issue has come up.The minister has pointed out that this was not just a matter of breach of privilege of the Assembly but there are certain unprecedented situations with regard to the CAG report. So let the committee take a decision in a democratic manner after hearing both the sides," the Speaker said.

Reacting to the development, Isaac, who had appeared before the Speaker on Monday to explain his stand, said he welcomed the decision. "I will explain everything to the ethics committee when I appear before it and they can take a decision," he said, adding he had not violated any rules.

The CAG report is not as per rules, he claimed at Kollam. The Privileges committee is likely to meet on Friday and the minister and complainant would be heard, chairman, A Pradeep Kumar, MLA, said.

The matter would be heard impartially and the report will be submitted to the speaker, Kumar told reporters at Kozhikode. Targeting Isaac,the Opposition has alleged he had infringed on the rights of the House by disclosing details of the CAG's audit 2018-19 report of the KIIFB to the media before it was tabled in the assembly.

Demanding Isaac's resignation, leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the minister does not have the right to continue in the post as he revealed the contents of the CAG report even before it was tabled in the House and had violated Official Secrets Act. BJP state president K Surendran also sought the minister's resignation with the Speaker forwarding the complaint to the ethics committee.

The Speaker said the privilege complaint against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for its reported probe against the state-run KIIFB, is also under serious consideration. "The notice moved by M Swaraj is also a serious one and under consideration.

He has pointed out that the ED has reportedly initiated a probe probe against the state-run KIIFB over borrowing from international markets on the basis of a CAG report, which is yet to be tabled in the Assembly," the Speaker said. The Speaker has sought a report from the Finance Ministry on the matter.

Tripunithura MLA M Swaraj had recently alleged that launching a probe on the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India before it was tabled in the House was a violation of the privilege of the legislators. On the other hand, Isaac has claimed the ED officials were leaking select information and directing media houses on how to give headlines concerning the KIIFB and asserted that the central agency would not be allowed to undermine the authority of the state government.PTI RRT UD BN WELCOME BN WELCOME