Ramesh Chennithala | File photo: Mathrubhumi
Thiruvananthapuram: Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala termed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayn’s stance that the Police Act amendment ordinance will not be implemented, a bluff.
The Congress leader also demanded that the ordinance, introduced to silence media and political critics, must be repealed.
Once the Governor signs an ordinance, it becomes Law of the land. Once a law comes into force, nobody, including the CM can refrain from implementing it. Pinarayi Vijayan’s statement that the act will not be implemented is a bluff.
Section 118-A of the Kerala Police Act blatantly violates fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The LDF government introduced an act which is not constitutionally valid. Hence it must be repealed.
Even if the government says that the act will not be implemented, the police will be able to register cases based on the act until it is repealed, said Chennithala.
Despite the CPI (M) central leadership and legal experts including Prashant Bhushan terming the act as anti-democratic, Pinarayi Vijayan is not ready to repeal it. This is a challenge against the people.
The amendment, introduced to silence the media, Opposition and political critics, was not legally valid and must be repealed immediately, Ramesh Chennithala demanded.