The Kerala government on Friday passed a resolution in the Legislative Assembly against the Comptroller and Auditor General’s financial audit report with adverse remarks against Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). KIFFB is a financial institution, owned by the government, to mobilise funds for infrastructure development from outside the state revenue.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan moved the resolution under Section 118 in the House against the CAG's findings indicting KIIFB, saying that it had targeted the state government. The Assembly passed the resolution by voice vote while the segment highlighted between pages 43 and 45 in the report was dismissed.
Pinarayi said that the CAG report was prepared without taking the state government's version and that the resolution was moved to come clean against the wrong precedence. The CAG report in November 2020 said that KIFFB was raising loans unconstitutionally. The CAG observed that KIFFB violated Article 293(1) of the Indian constitution.
Read: Kerala FM hits out at CAG for its report that KIIFB raised loans unconstitutionally
As per article 293 (1) the executive power of a state extends to borrowing within the territory of India. Lashing out at the CPI(M) led government, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said that this was an unusual activity and that the resolution was unconstitutional.
He also mocked at the Chief Minister saying that the government will be criticised for the move. He added that this is not the CPI(M) headquarter where attacks are not tolerated.
Congress MLA VD Satheesan said that the House does not have a right to pass a resolution against the CAG's report, adding that after the report is being tabled, it has to be presented before the Public Accounts Committee of the Assembly.
He alleged clear violation of the constitution and said that the state government has disrespected the constitution.
Read: Explainer: The CAG report on KIIFB and the row involving Thomas Isaac
With IANS Inputs