Kerala Cabinet for law amendment to give plum post to VS Achuthanandan

 Kerala cabinet on Monday decided to appoint veteran Communist and former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan as the chairperson of Kerala Administrative Reforms Commission (KARC) with cabinet rank. The decision ends the speculation over how the Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPM) would compensate the veteran who was the face of the party's successful election campaign. But It also entails a law amendment to sort out the legal problems. 

Giving the top post with cabinet rank also means that VS would be holding two posts, as MLA and as the chairperson of the KARC. The Cabinet decided to make necessary amendments to the existing laws to avoid the legal tangles. The meeting approved the recommendations by Chief Secretary in this regard. 

Provisions of Kerala Removal of Disqualification Act 1951 restricts an MLA from accepting the post of KARC chairperson post and receiving salary and other benefits. The only option is to accept cabinet rank with out salary. But, if VS receives salary and other benefits of the KARC chairperson, he will be prone to disqualification as MLA. The cabinet is planning to make changes in the rules to find a way out. 

Administrative Reforms Commission was set up in 1957 and was headed by EMS Nampoothiripadu, the then Chief Minister. The second commission was set up under M K Vellodi in 1965. The third Commission was headed by E K Nayanar during 2000-01.