HC upholds Lok Ayukta order to refer CMDRF misuse case to full bench

Kochi: A division bench of the Kerala High Court upheld Lok Ayukta's order referring the case of alleged nepotism and anomalies in granting aid from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) to the full bench (Lok Ayukta).

The bench comprising Chief Justice AJ Desai and Justice VG Arun also dismissed the petition challenging Lok Ayukta’s decision. 

Earlier in May, a division bench of HC comprising the then acting Chief Justice SV Bhatti and Justice Basant Balaji refused to stay the Lok Ayukta’s order. The court had noted that it was not dismissing the petition, but would be considering it again. 

The petitioner, RS Sasikumar, contended that the Lok Ayukta's decision to refer the question of the petition's maintainability to the Full Bench, despite a prior ruling by a Bench led by Lok Ayukta Pius C Kuriakose, constitutes a case of judicial impropriety. However, the court noted that there is no judicial impropriety and that referring the case to a full bench is something legally possible.