Discharge petition in Kerala Assembly ruckus case smacks of conflict of interest

Government will have to don the dual roles of accused and defendant, as a Cabinet Minister stands accused in the case in which public property was destroyed, say legal experts

The discharge petition filed by LDF leaders, including Kerala Education Minister V. Sivankutty, in the Assembly ruckus case smacks of serious conflict of interest, according to legal experts. The State government has to don the dual roles of the accused and the defendant in the case, as one of its Cabinet Ministers stands accused in the case in which public property was destroyed. As the government is considered the guardian of public interest, the position it may adopt in the case involving trespass and destruction of public property would be of high legal significance, they said. The case is likely to come up before the trial court in the second week of August.