Kerala HC issues notice to Thiruvananthapuram Mayor on a plea for CBI probe into controversial letter

The controversial letter aks for a priority list of applicants for temporary posts in the health wing of the Corporation

The Kerala High Court on Thursday issued notice to Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Mayor Arya Rajendran, D.R. Anil, Chairman of the Corporation Standing Committee, and the State government on a petition seeking a CBI probe into the letter purportedly written by the Mayor as well as the standing committee chairman to CPI(Marxist) district secretary Anavoor Nagappan requesting him to give a list of party workers for filling temporary posts in the health wing of the Corporation.

Justice K. Babu issued the notice when a petition filed by G.S. Sreekumar, a former councillor from the medical college ward came up for hearing.

He said that it had been the practice of the corporation to appoint persons of the ruling party’s workers in various temporary posts in the Corporation. The actions of the Mayor and the Standing Committee Chairman would sabotage the employment opportunities of thousands of qualified persons. Besides, their actions were violative of the oath taken by both of them at the time of swearing in as corporation councillors.

The petition further contended that though the police had begun an investigation into the complaints lodged by the Mayor with the Chief Minister, the real culprits would not be booked as political bigwigs were involved. The investigation by the State police would not bring out the truth. In fact, an inquiry needs to be initiated by an impartial authority who would not be influenced by the political considerations and might of the State. The petitioner, therefore, sought a CBI probe into the incident or in the alternative, a judicial inquiry.