Date:14/01/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/14/stories/2007011413180400.htm

Kerala - Alappuzha

`Officials behind delay in Devaswom Bill'

Staff Reporter

`Bill needed to be placed in the next Cabinet and an ordinance issued the next day'

Devaswom Minister G. Sudhakaran

ALAPPUZHA: A section of officials of the Law department are delaying the process of assessment of the Constitutional validity of the Devaswom Act Amendment Bill drafted by the State Government, Minister for Devaswom and Cooperation G. Sudhakaran has said.

Speaking at a seminar on `Unforgettable Events in Administration' organised at the Mathrubhoomi Study Circle State camp here on Saturday, Mr. Sudhakaran said the new Bill was given to the Law department a month ago but the file had not moved. The Law department had to assess the file and send it to the office of the Chief Secretary and then it had to be placed for the approval of the Cabinet, Mr. Sudhakaran said.

He said the Bill needed to be placed in the next Cabinet and an ordinance needed to be issued the next day. If that was not done, the amendments would come into effect only after six months, said Mr. Sudhakaran.

The Minister said some of the corrupt officials of the department were behind the delay.

The question raised by officials was, `why should the Government amend a fifty six-year-old law?' he said.

He said the LDF Government had given jobs to the widow of Sasikumar, a State lottery ticket vendor from Ambalappuzha, who had committed suicide when the UDF Government banned lottery tickets. The brother of Rajini S. Anand was also given a job, he added.