Kerala - Kochi   

`Restrain local bodies from taking up unwise ventures'

Staff Reporter

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the State Government to consider restraining local bodies from taking up `unwise' commercial ventures.

Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair observed that the court found that local bodies were making investments in commercial ventures such as construction of shopping complexes not viable in commercial terms, leading to "waste of the slender finance of the panchayats."

This prevented the panchayats from discharging their statutory duties for public welfare. If restrictions were not imposed on local bodies on taking up unwise commercial ventures, the purpose of their formation would not be achieved. The judge observed that it was for the Government to consider what restrictions should be imposed by way of law.

The court made the observations while dismissing a writ petition filed by V.M. Baby, vice-president, Konnathady panchayat, Idukki, against recovery proceedings initiated by the Kerala State Rural Development Board. The Board had initiated the proceedings to recover the arrears toward a loan taken by the panchayat for construction of a building.

Pariyaram college

Justice S. Siri Jagan admitted a writ petition challenging the action of the Cooperative Society Registrar in refusing to appoint a returning officer for elections to the director board of the Cooperative Academy of Medical Sciences, Pariyaram.

The petition was filed by M.V. Raghavan, former Cooperation Minister and chairman of the Cooperative Academy of Medical Sciences. According to him, the director board had decided to hold elections to the board on April 9, 2007. A resolution was adopted in this regard. However, the request to appoint a returning officer was rejected by the Cooperative Society Registrar on grounds that the resolution was not proper.

CBI probe sought

A few more writ petitions were filed seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the massacre in Marad in May 2003. The petitioners included K. Arunkumar, president, Bharatiya Jana Sabdhan, and Shymala, one of the victims. According to them, a judicial commission had recommended an investigation by the CBI into the incident. The petitions will come up before the court on Monday.

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