VS gets cabinet rank, to head administrative reforms panel

Thiruvananthapuram: The state cabinet, which met here on Wednesday, has decided to appoint veteran CPI-M leader V.S Achuthanandan as the chairman of the Kerala Administrative Reforms Commission with cabinet rank.

Former chief secretaries Neela Gangadharan and C.P Nair will be the other members of the three-member panel headed by Achuthanandan.

The Kerala Assembly had earlier passed an amendment bill to pave way for his appointment. According to the Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualifications), in the event any MLA is appointed as chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission, such appointment would entail his being disqualified as MLA.

Therefore, government decided to amend retrospectively the Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) Act 1951 to remove such disqualification.

Under sub-clause (a) of clause (1) of Article 191, a member of the Legislative Assembly shall be disqualified if he or she holds any office of profit under the government of India or any of the state governments, other than an office declared by law.

Achutanandan led the LDF to an impressive victory in the May 16 assembly polls by vigorously campaigning for the Left front.