Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Sunday, 17 April 2011
State failed to utilise skills of gulf returnees
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
18 Apr 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Kerala has failed to properly utilise the skills of the scores of people who have returned from abroad, especially the Gulf countries, says a study conducted by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), here .
The study also highlights the need for initiating predeparture counselling for emigrants as well as measures to minimise the cost of emigration.
Titled 'From Kerala to Kerala via the Gulf Emigration experiences of the return emigrants', the study has been carried out by CDS honorary fellow K C Zachariah and prof S Irudaya Rajan, based on the experience of the returned emigrants.
"The return emigrant's contribution to the development of the state has fallen below expectations, considering the resources at their disposal. With the financial resources at their disposal, the skills and disciplined work culture they had acquired, and the contacts they had established, it is expected that emigrants could make a more significant contribution to the state's development. However, they have not risen to the challenge or risen to the occasion and this is mainly due to the absence of toplevel entrepreneurial skills among the return emigrants," the study says suggesting that the government should make good use of the returnees for the development of the state.
Either the government or business leaders could take the leadership and give directions to the returnees or the entrepreneurs. They should be persuaded with adequate incentives to establish development projects within the state by utilising the resources brought in by them and other returned emigrants, the CDS study suggests.
The total number of returnees in the state is estimated to be around 13 lakh and it is projected to reach 15.8 lakh by 2015.
According to the Kerala Migration Study of 2008, the number of returnees was 11.5 lakh, compared to 7.4 lakh in 1998. Another recent study by CDS had pointed out that recessionrelated return emigration of Keralites was not as extensive as was often reported to be. Although about 1.7 lakh persons returned during the recession period, those returned owing to recessionrelated reasons were around 60,000 only.
The CDS study moots the need to introduce a comprehensive preemigration counselling and skills upgradation programme so that the emigrants do not face socioeconomic problems abroad. The counselling should include familiarising the prospective emigrants with living and working conditions abroad, acquainting them with the problems that they are likely to face abroad and the ways and means of dealing with such issues.
"Return emigrants of the state today would have been a much happier lot, had they been given proper counselling about life after emigration. Counselling on financial management with a longterm perspective could have been very useful for them when they face the prospect of their long life as a return emigrant without a regular monthly income.
Prevention is better than cure. Problem preventing measures aimed at future emigrants would work better than problem solving measures aimed at return emigrants," says the CDS study, which was financed by the NonResident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) Department and supported by the Overseas Indian Affairs Department.
The increased cost of emigration from Kerala is pointed out as one reason for the economic instability of the emigrants. The average cost of emigration from Kerala is estimated around Rs 57,000 where as the average income of an emigrant is around Rs 10,000. Most of the emigrants raise the emigration cost by way of loans and hence it would take months for the emigrant to meet the emigration expense.
"The government should intervene wherever possible to check the increase in the cost of emigration and take measures to prevent recruiting agents and other intermediaries from exploiting the poorly educated and financially deprived prospective emigrants of Kerala," the study says.
The New Indian Express
18 Apr 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Kerala has failed to properly utilise the skills of the scores of people who have returned from abroad, especially the Gulf countries, says a study conducted by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), here .
The study also highlights the need for initiating predeparture counselling for emigrants as well as measures to minimise the cost of emigration.
Titled 'From Kerala to Kerala via the Gulf Emigration experiences of the return emigrants', the study has been carried out by CDS honorary fellow K C Zachariah and prof S Irudaya Rajan, based on the experience of the returned emigrants.
"The return emigrant's contribution to the development of the state has fallen below expectations, considering the resources at their disposal. With the financial resources at their disposal, the skills and disciplined work culture they had acquired, and the contacts they had established, it is expected that emigrants could make a more significant contribution to the state's development. However, they have not risen to the challenge or risen to the occasion and this is mainly due to the absence of toplevel entrepreneurial skills among the return emigrants," the study says suggesting that the government should make good use of the returnees for the development of the state.
Either the government or business leaders could take the leadership and give directions to the returnees or the entrepreneurs. They should be persuaded with adequate incentives to establish development projects within the state by utilising the resources brought in by them and other returned emigrants, the CDS study suggests.
The total number of returnees in the state is estimated to be around 13 lakh and it is projected to reach 15.8 lakh by 2015.
According to the Kerala Migration Study of 2008, the number of returnees was 11.5 lakh, compared to 7.4 lakh in 1998. Another recent study by CDS had pointed out that recessionrelated return emigration of Keralites was not as extensive as was often reported to be. Although about 1.7 lakh persons returned during the recession period, those returned owing to recessionrelated reasons were around 60,000 only.
The CDS study moots the need to introduce a comprehensive preemigration counselling and skills upgradation programme so that the emigrants do not face socioeconomic problems abroad. The counselling should include familiarising the prospective emigrants with living and working conditions abroad, acquainting them with the problems that they are likely to face abroad and the ways and means of dealing with such issues.
"Return emigrants of the state today would have been a much happier lot, had they been given proper counselling about life after emigration. Counselling on financial management with a longterm perspective could have been very useful for them when they face the prospect of their long life as a return emigrant without a regular monthly income.
Prevention is better than cure. Problem preventing measures aimed at future emigrants would work better than problem solving measures aimed at return emigrants," says the CDS study, which was financed by the NonResident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) Department and supported by the Overseas Indian Affairs Department.
The increased cost of emigration from Kerala is pointed out as one reason for the economic instability of the emigrants. The average cost of emigration from Kerala is estimated around Rs 57,000 where as the average income of an emigrant is around Rs 10,000. Most of the emigrants raise the emigration cost by way of loans and hence it would take months for the emigrant to meet the emigration expense.
"The government should intervene wherever possible to check the increase in the cost of emigration and take measures to prevent recruiting agents and other intermediaries from exploiting the poorly educated and financially deprived prospective emigrants of Kerala," the study says.
CrPC amendments clip cops of their freedom to arrest
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
17 Apr 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Arresting a person involved in offences such as cheating, molestation and robbery would not be an easy task for the police officers in the state hereafter as the Police Department has decided to implement the recent amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
The fresh amendments restrict the police from arresting a person either on the basis of a complaint or suspicion regarding his involvement in a cognizable offence that warrants punishment up to seven years, without a warrant.
Police sources said that around 90 percent of the cases registered in the state are offences that warrant less than seven years of punishment.
Only crimes such as rape, attempt to murder and murder warrants punishment beyond seven years. However, certain exceptions are provided in the amended law. If a person commits an offence either in the presence of a police officer or if a police officer feels that there is a genuine reason for the arrest, then a warrant is not necessary to arrest the person.
It has been made mandatory that the details of all persons arrested at all police stations in a district be published at the district police control rooms (PCRs) of the respective districts on a daily basis.
DGP Jacob Punnoose has directed all police officers to abide by the amendments that came into effect in November 2010.
“We are in the process of implementing the fresh amendments. As a first step, all the police officials are being made aware of the amendments,” the DGP told Express. The fresh amendments also make it mandatory that a police officer should record the reasons either for arresting a person or not for arresting a person after having received a complaint or information or a reasonable suspicion regarding the person’s involvement in a cognizable offence that warrants punishment of up to seven years.
A notice board should be kept outside the district police control rooms with the details of the persons arrested in the police stations with in the district on that day as well as the previous day.
The name of the police officer who arrested the person should also be mentioned on the board. The station house officers (SHOs) should furnish the details about the arrested persons to the district police control room as well as the District Crime Records Bureau (DCRB), says the amended laws.
The State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) will have to maintain the details of all persons arrested in all the police stations in the state. The DCRBs will have to forward the details of the arrests in each district to the SCRB on a weekly basis.
With the amendments to the CrPC, it has also become mandatory that an arrested person should be informed of his right to give the name of a friend or relative who should be informed of his arrest. Also, an arrested person should be permitted to meet a lawyer during the interrogation, according to the amendment.
The New Indian Express
17 Apr 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Arresting a person involved in offences such as cheating, molestation and robbery would not be an easy task for the police officers in the state hereafter as the Police Department has decided to implement the recent amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
The fresh amendments restrict the police from arresting a person either on the basis of a complaint or suspicion regarding his involvement in a cognizable offence that warrants punishment up to seven years, without a warrant.
Police sources said that around 90 percent of the cases registered in the state are offences that warrant less than seven years of punishment.
Only crimes such as rape, attempt to murder and murder warrants punishment beyond seven years. However, certain exceptions are provided in the amended law. If a person commits an offence either in the presence of a police officer or if a police officer feels that there is a genuine reason for the arrest, then a warrant is not necessary to arrest the person.
It has been made mandatory that the details of all persons arrested at all police stations in a district be published at the district police control rooms (PCRs) of the respective districts on a daily basis.
DGP Jacob Punnoose has directed all police officers to abide by the amendments that came into effect in November 2010.
“We are in the process of implementing the fresh amendments. As a first step, all the police officials are being made aware of the amendments,” the DGP told Express. The fresh amendments also make it mandatory that a police officer should record the reasons either for arresting a person or not for arresting a person after having received a complaint or information or a reasonable suspicion regarding the person’s involvement in a cognizable offence that warrants punishment of up to seven years.
A notice board should be kept outside the district police control rooms with the details of the persons arrested in the police stations with in the district on that day as well as the previous day.
The name of the police officer who arrested the person should also be mentioned on the board. The station house officers (SHOs) should furnish the details about the arrested persons to the district police control room as well as the District Crime Records Bureau (DCRB), says the amended laws.
The State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) will have to maintain the details of all persons arrested in all the police stations in the state. The DCRBs will have to forward the details of the arrests in each district to the SCRB on a weekly basis.
With the amendments to the CrPC, it has also become mandatory that an arrested person should be informed of his right to give the name of a friend or relative who should be informed of his arrest. Also, an arrested person should be permitted to meet a lawyer during the interrogation, according to the amendment.
Monday, 11 April 2011
Palode Ravi hopeful, Ramachandran Nair confident
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
11 Apr 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Will Palode Ravi miss it between the cup and the lip this time ? This is the question doing the rounds in Nedumangad constituency as the Assembly elections are just two days away.
Ravi had suffered a defeat by a meagre margin to CPI’s Mangode Radhakrishnan consecutively in the last two Assembly elections at Nedumangad constituency. During 2006, Ravi was defeated by a margin of 85 votes, which was the lowest margin during that elections in the state. In 2001, Ravi lost to Radhakrishnan by 156 votes.
“This time I am sure that the debacle won’t repeat as the people of Nedumangad are eagerly awaiting a change,” says a much confident Ravi.
It was not the political situations, but other factors like the sentimental votes that had come in favour of Mangode during the previous years as he suffered a road accident just before the elections, says Ravi.
Ravi could heave a sigh of relief as it’s not the two-time victorious Radhakrishnan, but P Ramachandran Nair, who is quite new to parliamentary politics, who is his opponent this time. Hence Ravi, who hails from the nearby Palode, claims to have the advantage of being a local.
Ramachandran Nair, who is the district secretary of CPI, had tested his luck in parliamentary politics in the Lok Sabha elections in 2009. However, he suffered a defeat by a margin of about one lakh votes to Shashi Tharoor of the Congress in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency. With regard to confidence, Ramachandran Nair is not at all behind Ravi.
As he walks along the voters seeking their mandate, Ramachandran Nair lists out the achievements of the LDF Government one by one “The achievements of the LDF Government is the biggest factor in my favour. Moreover, with V S Achuthanandan leading the front, all the LDF candidates will get the advantage of the VS factor,” says Ramachandran Nair.
The thrust being given by the two-time MLA Ravi throughout his campaign is the development activities he had initiated in Nedumangad.
“I am sure the people of Nedumangad will not forget the development that I had brought in at Nedumangad during my earlier term as MLA here. Nedumangad had seen development in all fronts during my term. Now the people badly wants Nedumangad to be back on the development track and my lone agenda in development,” Ravi told Express on the sidelines of his busy campaign schedules in Nedumangad constituency.
The anti-incumbency factor will also work in my favour this time, adds Ravi.
Both the LDF and the UDF camps are claiming advantage over the delimitation of the Nedumangad constituency. According to the LDF leaders, with delimitation Panavoor, Aruvikara and Vellanad that are UDF strongholds got detached from Nedumangad Assembly constituency, where as LDF strongholds like Pothencode, Manickal and Andoorkonam have become part of the constituency.
However, the local Congress leaders claim that the wards that are newly attached to the constituency are UDF’s strongholds and hence it is advantage UDF with delimitation.
Though not strong enough to give a tight fight to the veteran politicians, BJP candidate K S Anjana is also active in the campaign front to make the presence of BJP felt in the Nedumangad area.
“The people are fed up with the UDF and LDF and hence it’s advantage BJP this time,” says Anjana who was an active leader of the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. Alike any other candidate, Anjana also expresses confidence that she will emerge victorious in the polls.
The New Indian Express
11 Apr 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Will Palode Ravi miss it between the cup and the lip this time ? This is the question doing the rounds in Nedumangad constituency as the Assembly elections are just two days away.
Ravi had suffered a defeat by a meagre margin to CPI’s Mangode Radhakrishnan consecutively in the last two Assembly elections at Nedumangad constituency. During 2006, Ravi was defeated by a margin of 85 votes, which was the lowest margin during that elections in the state. In 2001, Ravi lost to Radhakrishnan by 156 votes.
“This time I am sure that the debacle won’t repeat as the people of Nedumangad are eagerly awaiting a change,” says a much confident Ravi.
It was not the political situations, but other factors like the sentimental votes that had come in favour of Mangode during the previous years as he suffered a road accident just before the elections, says Ravi.
Ravi could heave a sigh of relief as it’s not the two-time victorious Radhakrishnan, but P Ramachandran Nair, who is quite new to parliamentary politics, who is his opponent this time. Hence Ravi, who hails from the nearby Palode, claims to have the advantage of being a local.
Ramachandran Nair, who is the district secretary of CPI, had tested his luck in parliamentary politics in the Lok Sabha elections in 2009. However, he suffered a defeat by a margin of about one lakh votes to Shashi Tharoor of the Congress in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency. With regard to confidence, Ramachandran Nair is not at all behind Ravi.
As he walks along the voters seeking their mandate, Ramachandran Nair lists out the achievements of the LDF Government one by one “The achievements of the LDF Government is the biggest factor in my favour. Moreover, with V S Achuthanandan leading the front, all the LDF candidates will get the advantage of the VS factor,” says Ramachandran Nair.
The thrust being given by the two-time MLA Ravi throughout his campaign is the development activities he had initiated in Nedumangad.
“I am sure the people of Nedumangad will not forget the development that I had brought in at Nedumangad during my earlier term as MLA here. Nedumangad had seen development in all fronts during my term. Now the people badly wants Nedumangad to be back on the development track and my lone agenda in development,” Ravi told Express on the sidelines of his busy campaign schedules in Nedumangad constituency.
The anti-incumbency factor will also work in my favour this time, adds Ravi.
Both the LDF and the UDF camps are claiming advantage over the delimitation of the Nedumangad constituency. According to the LDF leaders, with delimitation Panavoor, Aruvikara and Vellanad that are UDF strongholds got detached from Nedumangad Assembly constituency, where as LDF strongholds like Pothencode, Manickal and Andoorkonam have become part of the constituency.
However, the local Congress leaders claim that the wards that are newly attached to the constituency are UDF’s strongholds and hence it is advantage UDF with delimitation.
Though not strong enough to give a tight fight to the veteran politicians, BJP candidate K S Anjana is also active in the campaign front to make the presence of BJP felt in the Nedumangad area.
“The people are fed up with the UDF and LDF and hence it’s advantage BJP this time,” says Anjana who was an active leader of the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. Alike any other candidate, Anjana also expresses confidence that she will emerge victorious in the polls.
Friday, 8 April 2011
NRK voters a new factor in political scene
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
08 Apr 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It will be of no surprise if the candidates of all political parties in north Kerala districts come up with a slew of sops for the non-resident Keralites (NRKs) because majority of the expatriates who are expected to cast their votes as NRK voters in the coming Assembly elections hail from the northern districts.
Out of the 8,835 NRKs who have enrolled themselves in the electoral rolls, 2,628 are from Kozhikode. While Kannur stands in the second position with 1,958 NRK voters, Malappuram has 1,861 NRK voters. The lowest number of NRK voters are from Idukki district, 32. Wayanad has only 97 NRK voters. Among the 8,835 NRKs who have enrolled their names, 321 are women.
Though voting rights for NRKs had been a long-pending demand of the pravasis, the number of persons who have decided to enroll their names in the electoral rolls is very low when compared to the total number of NRKs, which is estimated to be above 20 lakh. The delay in finalising the procedure for enrolling the names as well as the grim job scenario in Gulf countries are cited as two major reasons for this.
“There was inordinate delay from the Centre in finalising the procedure for enrolling names in the voters’ list. Moreover, the NRKs in countries like Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia were quite disturbed by the turmoil in these countries, which is also one reason which affected many NRKs from enrolling their names in the electoral rolls,’’ Indo-Arab Confederation Council chairman and Pravasi Coordination Committee convener Attakoya Pallikandy said.
Moreover, it is quite impractical that the NRKs will come down to Kerala on leave just to cast their votes. Only those who will be in Kerala on annual leave during the time of elections will have the chance to exercise their franchise, says a section of Dubai-based NRKs.
Though the number of NRK voters are quite low, their family members can play a crucial role in the elections. All political parties have their feeder organisations in foreign countries, where there are considerable number of Malayalis, and the feeder organisations are engaged in verbal campaign among NRKs, Attakoya said.
The total number of NRK voters in other districts are as follows: Thiruvananthapuram - 230, Kollam - 204, Pathanamthitta - 296, Alappuzha - 166, Kottayam - 111, Ernakulam - 107, Thrissur - 385, Palakkad - 269, Wayanad - 97 and, Kasargod - 491.
The New Indian Express
08 Apr 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It will be of no surprise if the candidates of all political parties in north Kerala districts come up with a slew of sops for the non-resident Keralites (NRKs) because majority of the expatriates who are expected to cast their votes as NRK voters in the coming Assembly elections hail from the northern districts.
Out of the 8,835 NRKs who have enrolled themselves in the electoral rolls, 2,628 are from Kozhikode. While Kannur stands in the second position with 1,958 NRK voters, Malappuram has 1,861 NRK voters. The lowest number of NRK voters are from Idukki district, 32. Wayanad has only 97 NRK voters. Among the 8,835 NRKs who have enrolled their names, 321 are women.
Though voting rights for NRKs had been a long-pending demand of the pravasis, the number of persons who have decided to enroll their names in the electoral rolls is very low when compared to the total number of NRKs, which is estimated to be above 20 lakh. The delay in finalising the procedure for enrolling the names as well as the grim job scenario in Gulf countries are cited as two major reasons for this.
“There was inordinate delay from the Centre in finalising the procedure for enrolling names in the voters’ list. Moreover, the NRKs in countries like Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia were quite disturbed by the turmoil in these countries, which is also one reason which affected many NRKs from enrolling their names in the electoral rolls,’’ Indo-Arab Confederation Council chairman and Pravasi Coordination Committee convener Attakoya Pallikandy said.
Moreover, it is quite impractical that the NRKs will come down to Kerala on leave just to cast their votes. Only those who will be in Kerala on annual leave during the time of elections will have the chance to exercise their franchise, says a section of Dubai-based NRKs.
Though the number of NRK voters are quite low, their family members can play a crucial role in the elections. All political parties have their feeder organisations in foreign countries, where there are considerable number of Malayalis, and the feeder organisations are engaged in verbal campaign among NRKs, Attakoya said.
The total number of NRK voters in other districts are as follows: Thiruvananthapuram - 230, Kollam - 204, Pathanamthitta - 296, Alappuzha - 166, Kottayam - 111, Ernakulam - 107, Thrissur - 385, Palakkad - 269, Wayanad - 97 and, Kasargod - 491.
Monday, 4 April 2011
Police ill-equipped as cyber crimes double
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
04 Apr 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite a whopping increase in the number of cyber crimes in the state over the past few years, the state’s cyber police still remain illequipped to contain the menace, both in terms of manpower and infrastructure.
While the number of complaints pertaining to the cyber and mobile-related crimes in the state that were received by the police during 2010 touched a whopping 80,000, the strength of the state cyber police force remains around 80.
More pitiable is that the request placed by the cyber police for procuring advanced cyber forensic tools two years ago still remains on paper.
The Hi-Tech Crime Enquiry Cell attached to the Police Headquarters here, deals with advanced cyber and mobile crimes, alone had handled 4,440 investigations during 2010 as against 584 in 2007 - an increase by manifolds.
While the total number of petitions received by the state’s cyber police units during 2009 was around 37,000, it has almost touched 80,000 in 2010, a majority of which are mobile phone thefts.
The only Cyber Police station in the state having jurisdiction of the entire state was set up in 2009. However, the government is yet to sanction any posts for the police station.
At present the DySP of the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) is holding the additional charge of the cyber police station and 10 police officials including a circleinspector, sub-inspectors and constables are posted on working arrangement, whereas the Cyber Police station of the neighbouring Karnataka is headed by a SP and has four DySPs, eight CIs and SIs each and more than 20 constables. It is more pitiable that the request for cyber forensic tools for a set of Cyber Police Station still remains on the papers. Owing to the inordinate delay, most of those tools have now become outdated, sources said.
The state police have constituted cyber cells in all the districts, the average strength of the cyber cells in less than five. Sources also said that the police personnel being posted at the cyber police station as well as the cyber cells are not being given proper training.
“Cyber forensics is a field that is undergoing rapid progress and hence it is essential that the cyber police officials are kept updated,” said a police officer who requested anonymity. Moreover, many technically qualified police officials are not posted in the cyber cell. DGP Jacob Punnoose, however, said that compared to other states in India, the cyber police of Kerala had been more effective.
“Cyber crimes are an evolving process and hence a specialised system to counter it is yet to be structured. It is expertise that matters and not the numbers. Our aim is to make all police officials in the state capable of dealing with basic cyber crimes,” he said.
With the use of cyber and mobile phone applications keep on increasing, the number of offences in these sectors will also be in the upward trend in the coming years. Hence the government should make immediate steps to ensure a effective cyber policing in the state, say experts.
The New Indian Express
04 Apr 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite a whopping increase in the number of cyber crimes in the state over the past few years, the state’s cyber police still remain illequipped to contain the menace, both in terms of manpower and infrastructure.
While the number of complaints pertaining to the cyber and mobile-related crimes in the state that were received by the police during 2010 touched a whopping 80,000, the strength of the state cyber police force remains around 80.
More pitiable is that the request placed by the cyber police for procuring advanced cyber forensic tools two years ago still remains on paper.
The Hi-Tech Crime Enquiry Cell attached to the Police Headquarters here, deals with advanced cyber and mobile crimes, alone had handled 4,440 investigations during 2010 as against 584 in 2007 - an increase by manifolds.
While the total number of petitions received by the state’s cyber police units during 2009 was around 37,000, it has almost touched 80,000 in 2010, a majority of which are mobile phone thefts.
The only Cyber Police station in the state having jurisdiction of the entire state was set up in 2009. However, the government is yet to sanction any posts for the police station.
At present the DySP of the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) is holding the additional charge of the cyber police station and 10 police officials including a circleinspector, sub-inspectors and constables are posted on working arrangement, whereas the Cyber Police station of the neighbouring Karnataka is headed by a SP and has four DySPs, eight CIs and SIs each and more than 20 constables. It is more pitiable that the request for cyber forensic tools for a set of Cyber Police Station still remains on the papers. Owing to the inordinate delay, most of those tools have now become outdated, sources said.
The state police have constituted cyber cells in all the districts, the average strength of the cyber cells in less than five. Sources also said that the police personnel being posted at the cyber police station as well as the cyber cells are not being given proper training.
“Cyber forensics is a field that is undergoing rapid progress and hence it is essential that the cyber police officials are kept updated,” said a police officer who requested anonymity. Moreover, many technically qualified police officials are not posted in the cyber cell. DGP Jacob Punnoose, however, said that compared to other states in India, the cyber police of Kerala had been more effective.
“Cyber crimes are an evolving process and hence a specialised system to counter it is yet to be structured. It is expertise that matters and not the numbers. Our aim is to make all police officials in the state capable of dealing with basic cyber crimes,” he said.
With the use of cyber and mobile phone applications keep on increasing, the number of offences in these sectors will also be in the upward trend in the coming years. Hence the government should make immediate steps to ensure a effective cyber policing in the state, say experts.
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Sampath custodial death: CBI probe raises knotty questions
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian
03 Apr 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CBI probe into the custodial death of Sampath seems to be derailing from the popular objective of bringing the real culprits before the law and instead snowballing into an internal clash within the nation’s premier investigation agency.
The ‘timely’ leaking out of the information regarding the arraigning of two IPS officers in the case as well as the differences between the CBI top brass and investigating officers over arraigning the two IPS officers, has led to a fresh stand-off within the CBI, which may prove detrimental to a fair probe into the sensational custodial death which occurred in March 2010 at Palakkad.
CBI DySP P G Haridath had filed a report before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Kochi on February 2 naming the former Thrissur range IG Mohammed Yasin, Palakkad former SP Vijay Sakhare and 16 others as accused in the case.
However the information got leaked out only after two months, on April 1, that too a couple of hours after the Supreme Court directed that the investigation should be carried out under the strict supervision of a CBI joint director.
This has raised many an eyebrow as it is widely believed that the information was deliberately leaked out due to the stand- off between the investigation team and the CBI higher-ups.
The investigating officers in the case had earlier stated before the High Court that they were facing threat and undue pressure from the top.
Subsequently, the court had ordered that no senior official should interfere with the investigation.
After the CBI headquarters got complaints that the probe was not progressing in the right direction, a senior SP, R R Sahayi, was deputed to review the investigation.
But the investigation officer had refused to hand over the case diary.
Subsequently, the CBI headquarters approached the Supreme Court and the court on Friday directed that the probe should be closely monitored by a joint director. The move of the investigating officer to arraign two IPS officers as accused in the case, even without taking their statements, as well as to seek arrest warrants has come as a surprise.
“In case an official is arraigned as accused in a case, the normal practice is to inform the head of the department in which the accused officer is working and proceed with the arrest. A warrant is sought only if the official is evading arrest,” police sources pointed out.
A section in the state police strongly suspects the influence of a Bangalorebased spirit mafia don on the CBI to implicate Vijay Sakhare, who is now serving as DIG in Border Security Force. Two Bangalore-based spirit smugglers were booked by Sakhare while serving as the Palakkad SP. It is pointed out that though Sampath belonged to a poor family, his family has been engaging leading lawyers both in the Supreme Court and the High Court. “How the family meets the heavy fees of these leading lawyers remain mysterious,” a police officer said.
It is also pointed out that the mobile phone records of Yasin had clearly vindicated that he had not gone to Malampuzha during the time when Sampath was subjected to custodial torture. Yasin is now serving as managing director of Kerala Police Housing Construction Corporation.
Investigating officer summoned
CBI DySP Haridath was summoned to CBI headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday.
CBI sources said that it was following the Supreme Court directive on Friday that the investigating officer was directed to report to the CBI headquarters with the case diary.
There are also unconfirmed reports that IPS officers Yasin and Sakhare are planning to approach the court against the CBI’s decision to arraign them as accused in the case.
The New Indian
03 Apr 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CBI probe into the custodial death of Sampath seems to be derailing from the popular objective of bringing the real culprits before the law and instead snowballing into an internal clash within the nation’s premier investigation agency.
The ‘timely’ leaking out of the information regarding the arraigning of two IPS officers in the case as well as the differences between the CBI top brass and investigating officers over arraigning the two IPS officers, has led to a fresh stand-off within the CBI, which may prove detrimental to a fair probe into the sensational custodial death which occurred in March 2010 at Palakkad.
CBI DySP P G Haridath had filed a report before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Kochi on February 2 naming the former Thrissur range IG Mohammed Yasin, Palakkad former SP Vijay Sakhare and 16 others as accused in the case.
However the information got leaked out only after two months, on April 1, that too a couple of hours after the Supreme Court directed that the investigation should be carried out under the strict supervision of a CBI joint director.
This has raised many an eyebrow as it is widely believed that the information was deliberately leaked out due to the stand- off between the investigation team and the CBI higher-ups.
The investigating officers in the case had earlier stated before the High Court that they were facing threat and undue pressure from the top.
Subsequently, the court had ordered that no senior official should interfere with the investigation.
After the CBI headquarters got complaints that the probe was not progressing in the right direction, a senior SP, R R Sahayi, was deputed to review the investigation.
But the investigation officer had refused to hand over the case diary.
Subsequently, the CBI headquarters approached the Supreme Court and the court on Friday directed that the probe should be closely monitored by a joint director. The move of the investigating officer to arraign two IPS officers as accused in the case, even without taking their statements, as well as to seek arrest warrants has come as a surprise.
“In case an official is arraigned as accused in a case, the normal practice is to inform the head of the department in which the accused officer is working and proceed with the arrest. A warrant is sought only if the official is evading arrest,” police sources pointed out.
A section in the state police strongly suspects the influence of a Bangalorebased spirit mafia don on the CBI to implicate Vijay Sakhare, who is now serving as DIG in Border Security Force. Two Bangalore-based spirit smugglers were booked by Sakhare while serving as the Palakkad SP. It is pointed out that though Sampath belonged to a poor family, his family has been engaging leading lawyers both in the Supreme Court and the High Court. “How the family meets the heavy fees of these leading lawyers remain mysterious,” a police officer said.
It is also pointed out that the mobile phone records of Yasin had clearly vindicated that he had not gone to Malampuzha during the time when Sampath was subjected to custodial torture. Yasin is now serving as managing director of Kerala Police Housing Construction Corporation.
Investigating officer summoned
CBI DySP Haridath was summoned to CBI headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday.
CBI sources said that it was following the Supreme Court directive on Friday that the investigating officer was directed to report to the CBI headquarters with the case diary.
There are also unconfirmed reports that IPS officers Yasin and Sakhare are planning to approach the court against the CBI’s decision to arraign them as accused in the case.
Prison ‘vacancies’ filling up
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
03 Apr 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The prisons in the state are witnessing a steep increase in the number of inmates these days, thanks to the election season hotting up.
More persons are being arrested and remanded in prisons in petty cases.
The total number of prisoners has gone up from 6,100 about two weeks ago to around 6,400 now.
“We had witnessed a similar increase in the number of prisoners during the recent local bodies elections also,” says Additional DGP (Prisons) Alexander Jacob. The prison population had gone up to around 6,800 during the local bodies elections. However, these figures will come down soon as those held in these cases will normally get bail after a 14-day judicial remand period, he says.
Police sources say that during election time, there will be a number of complaints pertaining to election campaign and the police will be forced to take immediate action owing to political pressure. Moreover, no political leader will interfere with the arrest to avoid any controversy.
The arrested will also lose a chance to cast their votes.
The New Indian Express
03 Apr 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The prisons in the state are witnessing a steep increase in the number of inmates these days, thanks to the election season hotting up.
More persons are being arrested and remanded in prisons in petty cases.
The total number of prisoners has gone up from 6,100 about two weeks ago to around 6,400 now.
“We had witnessed a similar increase in the number of prisoners during the recent local bodies elections also,” says Additional DGP (Prisons) Alexander Jacob. The prison population had gone up to around 6,800 during the local bodies elections. However, these figures will come down soon as those held in these cases will normally get bail after a 14-day judicial remand period, he says.
Police sources say that during election time, there will be a number of complaints pertaining to election campaign and the police will be forced to take immediate action owing to political pressure. Moreover, no political leader will interfere with the arrest to avoid any controversy.
The arrested will also lose a chance to cast their votes.
Saturday, 2 April 2011
Confidence vs Development @ Kazhakoottam
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
02 Apr 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The once remote Kazhakkoottam, which now finds a prominent place in the world’s IT map with the setting up of Asia’s first IT park, is witnessing a fierce battle between the two candidates who pin their hope on two different aspects; changes in political demography and development initiatives.
Two-time MLA M A Vaheed, who is the UDF candidate, is cashing in on the development programmes that he has initiated in the Kazhakkoottam constituency over the last one decade, whereas LDF candidate, C Ajayakumar of the CPM, is pinning his hopes mainly on the changes in the political demography of the constituency.
Following delimitation, certain parts of the constituency such as Andoorkonam, Kadinamkulam and Pothencode where Vaheed as well as the UDF had a strong influence, got detached from the Kazhakkoottam constituency. Similarly, certain other areas such as Ulloor and Kadakampally, where the LDF got an upper hand, have been attached to the constituency.
"The changes brought about by the delimitation process is indeed an advantage to the LDF, besides various other factors," Ajayakumar told ‘Express’ amidst his busy election campaigning near Ulloor on Friday.
However, the two-time MLA Vaheed is trying to overcome this adverse factor by highlighting the developments he had initiated in the constituency and nearby areas during the past one decade.
"I do not need an introduction in Kazhakkoottam as the people here know me very well. I made this possible with the massive developments I have brought in to the constituency over the past one decade. Kazhakkoottam now has all the facilities as that of a city,” says Vaheed.
For the people of Kazhakkoottam it was quite a different experience to watch Vaheed travelling in an open jeep, as he often travels through the constituency on his Yezdi motorcycle. “Indeed, Vaheed is more familiar to us than Ajayakumar,” says a shopkeeper at Sreekaryam.
Countering the claims of Vaheed with regard to the development initiatives, Ajayakumar, who was a former chairman of the Thiruvananthapuram Development Authority, lists out the development initiatives he had initiated which includes new shopping complexes and road widening.
While Vaheed lists out the infrastructure development he had brought in, Ajayakumar counters it.
"Many panchayats in Kazhakkoottam are still waiting for electricity and other basic infrastructure. Is it the type of development that we require?” Ajayakumar asks.
Among the list of development initiatives of Vaheed are the film and video park and the apparel park of KINFRA. “Both the projects would not have attained the present heights without my initiative,” says Vaheed.
Both the UDF and the LDF candidates are claiming credit for the development of the Technopark over these years. However, both the Fronts have decided to keep off Technopark campus from campaigning. “We do not want to disturb the atmosphere on Technopark campus and hence, are not campaigning on the campus though a good number of IT professionals are now voters of the constituency, "says Vaheed. Amidst the positive and negative factors that both the Fronts share, the UDF and the LDF are quite neck and neck in the campaign front and both the candidates are confident of making it with a clear majority.
In the meantime, the BJP candidate is also pinning hopes on the changes brought in by delimitation.
“With the delimitation, various areas such as Karikkakom, Cheruvaikkal and Edavakode where the BJP has a considerable support, are attached to the constituency. Hence, it will be advantage BJP this time,” says party candidate Padmakumar.
Padmakumar, who is confident of giving a tough fight to both the UDF and the LDF, is mainly highlighting the ‘failure’ of both the Fronts in bringing development to Kazhakkoottam, especially with regard to the development of roads.
The New Indian Express
02 Apr 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The once remote Kazhakkoottam, which now finds a prominent place in the world’s IT map with the setting up of Asia’s first IT park, is witnessing a fierce battle between the two candidates who pin their hope on two different aspects; changes in political demography and development initiatives.
Two-time MLA M A Vaheed, who is the UDF candidate, is cashing in on the development programmes that he has initiated in the Kazhakkoottam constituency over the last one decade, whereas LDF candidate, C Ajayakumar of the CPM, is pinning his hopes mainly on the changes in the political demography of the constituency.
Following delimitation, certain parts of the constituency such as Andoorkonam, Kadinamkulam and Pothencode where Vaheed as well as the UDF had a strong influence, got detached from the Kazhakkoottam constituency. Similarly, certain other areas such as Ulloor and Kadakampally, where the LDF got an upper hand, have been attached to the constituency.
"The changes brought about by the delimitation process is indeed an advantage to the LDF, besides various other factors," Ajayakumar told ‘Express’ amidst his busy election campaigning near Ulloor on Friday.
However, the two-time MLA Vaheed is trying to overcome this adverse factor by highlighting the developments he had initiated in the constituency and nearby areas during the past one decade.
"I do not need an introduction in Kazhakkoottam as the people here know me very well. I made this possible with the massive developments I have brought in to the constituency over the past one decade. Kazhakkoottam now has all the facilities as that of a city,” says Vaheed.
For the people of Kazhakkoottam it was quite a different experience to watch Vaheed travelling in an open jeep, as he often travels through the constituency on his Yezdi motorcycle. “Indeed, Vaheed is more familiar to us than Ajayakumar,” says a shopkeeper at Sreekaryam.
Countering the claims of Vaheed with regard to the development initiatives, Ajayakumar, who was a former chairman of the Thiruvananthapuram Development Authority, lists out the development initiatives he had initiated which includes new shopping complexes and road widening.
While Vaheed lists out the infrastructure development he had brought in, Ajayakumar counters it.
"Many panchayats in Kazhakkoottam are still waiting for electricity and other basic infrastructure. Is it the type of development that we require?” Ajayakumar asks.
Among the list of development initiatives of Vaheed are the film and video park and the apparel park of KINFRA. “Both the projects would not have attained the present heights without my initiative,” says Vaheed.
Both the UDF and the LDF candidates are claiming credit for the development of the Technopark over these years. However, both the Fronts have decided to keep off Technopark campus from campaigning. “We do not want to disturb the atmosphere on Technopark campus and hence, are not campaigning on the campus though a good number of IT professionals are now voters of the constituency, "says Vaheed. Amidst the positive and negative factors that both the Fronts share, the UDF and the LDF are quite neck and neck in the campaign front and both the candidates are confident of making it with a clear majority.
In the meantime, the BJP candidate is also pinning hopes on the changes brought in by delimitation.
“With the delimitation, various areas such as Karikkakom, Cheruvaikkal and Edavakode where the BJP has a considerable support, are attached to the constituency. Hence, it will be advantage BJP this time,” says party candidate Padmakumar.
Padmakumar, who is confident of giving a tough fight to both the UDF and the LDF, is mainly highlighting the ‘failure’ of both the Fronts in bringing development to Kazhakkoottam, especially with regard to the development of roads.
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
No freedom to vote
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
30 Mar 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 6,000-odd prisoners in the state have to remain mute witnesses to the electoral process. However, this time they could heave a sigh of relief that a famous legislator is one among them.
The one-year rigorous imprisonment in the Idamalayar corruption case has played spoilsport for Kerala Congress(B) leader and former Minister R Balakrishna Pillai’s desire to contest the polls. He may also be deprived of a chance to cast his vote. The only ray of hope before Pillai is the outcome of a curative petition that he had filed before the Supreme Court against the judgment in the Idamalayar case.
“At present, we do not have any rules that allow a prisoner to cast his vote,” says Additional DGP (prisons) Alexander Jacob. However, it is a sigh of relief for the prisoners that the new prison rules that have been mooted by the Prisons Department provide for voting rights for the prisoners. But the draft of the new rules is only under the consideration of the government.
At present, there are 6,384 prisoners in the state, of whom 2,700 are convicts. The remaining include remand prisoners, undertrials and those kept in preventive detention under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (Goonda Act).
Though there is no provision for prisoners to exercise their franchise, in case if a prisoner is on parole on any other grounds during the polling day, he may be able to cast his vote, provided his name is there in the electoral roll.
However, the Election Commission will be strictly scrutinising all parole applications. Hence the chance of getting parole on flimsy grounds is rare, say sources.
Over these years, discussions had taken place at various platforms across the nation regarding the denial of voting rights to prisoners. However, it still remains a distant dream in a country like India which boasts of being the largest democracy.
The New Indian Express
30 Mar 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 6,000-odd prisoners in the state have to remain mute witnesses to the electoral process. However, this time they could heave a sigh of relief that a famous legislator is one among them.
The one-year rigorous imprisonment in the Idamalayar corruption case has played spoilsport for Kerala Congress(B) leader and former Minister R Balakrishna Pillai’s desire to contest the polls. He may also be deprived of a chance to cast his vote. The only ray of hope before Pillai is the outcome of a curative petition that he had filed before the Supreme Court against the judgment in the Idamalayar case.
“At present, we do not have any rules that allow a prisoner to cast his vote,” says Additional DGP (prisons) Alexander Jacob. However, it is a sigh of relief for the prisoners that the new prison rules that have been mooted by the Prisons Department provide for voting rights for the prisoners. But the draft of the new rules is only under the consideration of the government.
At present, there are 6,384 prisoners in the state, of whom 2,700 are convicts. The remaining include remand prisoners, undertrials and those kept in preventive detention under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (Goonda Act).
Though there is no provision for prisoners to exercise their franchise, in case if a prisoner is on parole on any other grounds during the polling day, he may be able to cast his vote, provided his name is there in the electoral roll.
However, the Election Commission will be strictly scrutinising all parole applications. Hence the chance of getting parole on flimsy grounds is rare, say sources.
Over these years, discussions had taken place at various platforms across the nation regarding the denial of voting rights to prisoners. However, it still remains a distant dream in a country like India which boasts of being the largest democracy.
DGP rank denied to Pulikeshi
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
30 Mar 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Additional Director General of Police (Training) C S Pulikeshi has been denied promotion to the rank of Director General of Police.
A selection committee headed by Chief Secretary P Prabhakaran which met here on Monday decided to supercede the seniority of Pulikeshi, who is an IPS officer of the 1977 batch, as he had been chargesheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a corruption case pertaining to the Civil Supplies Corporation.
The committee also cleared the names of IPS officers of the 1978 batch ADGP (Vigilance) Netto Desmond, ADGP K S Balasubramanian (who is on Central deputation) and ADGP (Headquarters) K S Jangpangi for promotion to the rank of DGP. However, fresh postings are likely to be given to these officers only after the new government assumes office.
The selection committee, which also comprised of Additional Chief Secretary (Home) K Jayakumar and DGP Jacob Punnoose, came to the conclusion that Pulikeshi is not fit for promotion as he had been chargesheeted by the CBI in a case pertaining to corruption in Civil Supplies Corporation while he was the chairman and managing director of the corporation. The name of Pulikeshi could be considered for promotion to the rank of DGP only once he is cleared of the case, the committee observed.
It was following the voluntary retirement of Siby Mathews and retirement of K P Somarajan that the promotions are being made. Both of them were IPS officers of the 1977 batch and were in the rank of DGP.
The New Indian Express
30 Mar 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Additional Director General of Police (Training) C S Pulikeshi has been denied promotion to the rank of Director General of Police.
A selection committee headed by Chief Secretary P Prabhakaran which met here on Monday decided to supercede the seniority of Pulikeshi, who is an IPS officer of the 1977 batch, as he had been chargesheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a corruption case pertaining to the Civil Supplies Corporation.
The committee also cleared the names of IPS officers of the 1978 batch ADGP (Vigilance) Netto Desmond, ADGP K S Balasubramanian (who is on Central deputation) and ADGP (Headquarters) K S Jangpangi for promotion to the rank of DGP. However, fresh postings are likely to be given to these officers only after the new government assumes office.
The selection committee, which also comprised of Additional Chief Secretary (Home) K Jayakumar and DGP Jacob Punnoose, came to the conclusion that Pulikeshi is not fit for promotion as he had been chargesheeted by the CBI in a case pertaining to corruption in Civil Supplies Corporation while he was the chairman and managing director of the corporation. The name of Pulikeshi could be considered for promotion to the rank of DGP only once he is cleared of the case, the committee observed.
It was following the voluntary retirement of Siby Mathews and retirement of K P Somarajan that the promotions are being made. Both of them were IPS officers of the 1977 batch and were in the rank of DGP.
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Pillai’s Somersault owing to complulsions
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
24 Mar 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The somersault made by Kerala Congress (B) leader R Balakrishna Pillai from his decision to contest the Assembly elections from behind the bars, seems to be ignited not only by the political pressure from the UDF camp, but also by the realisation that there remained legal hurdles which are hard to overcome.
Interpreting various provisions in the relevant Acts, senior lawyers point out that it would not be a cakewalk for Pillai who is undergoing oneyear imprisonment in the Idamalayar corruption case.
The legal opinion obtained by Pillai in his favour had pointed out that Pillai was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act) of 1947, whereas the Representation of the People Act only disqualified a person convicted under the PC Act of 1988 from contesting the elections for a period of up to six years
after the end of the sentence.
However, countering this argument, another section of lawyers point out that Section 30 of the PC Act 1988 repeals and saves all provisions in the PC Act of 1947 and hence the legal opinion in favour of Pillai won't stand. Senior lawyers Thampan Thomas and Cheruniyoor Sasidharan Nair share the same view.
Moreover, it is also pointed out that Pillai was originally convicted by the Sessions court for five years. But the Supreme Court had relaxed the conviction considering a prayer of Pillai to consider his illhealth.
Hence, if Pillai tries to exploit this concession
it would amount to
misrepresentation in the court.
The New Indian Express
24 Mar 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The somersault made by Kerala Congress (B) leader R Balakrishna Pillai from his decision to contest the Assembly elections from behind the bars, seems to be ignited not only by the political pressure from the UDF camp, but also by the realisation that there remained legal hurdles which are hard to overcome.
Interpreting various provisions in the relevant Acts, senior lawyers point out that it would not be a cakewalk for Pillai who is undergoing oneyear imprisonment in the Idamalayar corruption case.
The legal opinion obtained by Pillai in his favour had pointed out that Pillai was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act) of 1947, whereas the Representation of the People Act only disqualified a person convicted under the PC Act of 1988 from contesting the elections for a period of up to six years
after the end of the sentence.
However, countering this argument, another section of lawyers point out that Section 30 of the PC Act 1988 repeals and saves all provisions in the PC Act of 1947 and hence the legal opinion in favour of Pillai won't stand. Senior lawyers Thampan Thomas and Cheruniyoor Sasidharan Nair share the same view.
Moreover, it is also pointed out that Pillai was originally convicted by the Sessions court for five years. But the Supreme Court had relaxed the conviction considering a prayer of Pillai to consider his illhealth.
Hence, if Pillai tries to exploit this concession
it would amount to
misrepresentation in the court.
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Akshaya to join Keltron in enrolment works
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
21 Mar 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Succumbing to stiff objection from various quarters, the State Government revoked its earlier decision which had denied Akshaya role in the enrolment works for the nation's flagship Unique Identification (UID) Project in Thiruvananthapuram district and assigned the same to Keltron.
The government has now decided that Keltron and Akshaya will jointly do the enrolment works both in Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha districts where UID enrolment had been piloted last month.
While Keltron will cover the urban areas in both these districts, Akshaya will cover the rural areas.
A modified government order in this regard was issued by the State Information Technology department the other day.
The Askshya entrepreneurs were up in arms against the earlier decision of the government to hand over the enrolment of UID in entire Thiruvananthapuram district to Keltron. It was a jolt to the 200odd Akshaya entrepreneurs who were gearing up to take up the enrolment works following an earlier assurance from the government.
Enrolment to UID is quite an attractive affair as the UID Authority will pay around `38 for enrolling each person.
Akshaya entrepreneurs in Alappuzha district had already enrolled at least 1,000
persons.
"We are receiving a good response from the people towards UID enrolment. Even Akshaya entrepreneurs from other districts are coming down to Alappuzha district to get enrolled," said All Kerala Akshaya Entrepreneurs Association president T S Chandran.
The association had earlier submitted memorandum to the Chief Minister against the decision to hand over the enrolment works in Thiruvananthapuram to Keltron.
It was after much dillydallying that the State Government had launched UID enrolment here on February 24.
Use of propriety software for the enrolment and ideological objections raised by certain quarters over the collection of personal data of individuals had indeed delayed the launch of UID enrolment in Kerala.
The UID project, popularly known as Aadhaar, envisages maintaining a data base of the personal information including biometric identification marks of all citizens of India and issuing an Unique Identification number and identity card to each citizen.
Many other states are far ahead in the enrolment process.
The New Indian Express
21 Mar 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Succumbing to stiff objection from various quarters, the State Government revoked its earlier decision which had denied Akshaya role in the enrolment works for the nation's flagship Unique Identification (UID) Project in Thiruvananthapuram district and assigned the same to Keltron.
The government has now decided that Keltron and Akshaya will jointly do the enrolment works both in Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha districts where UID enrolment had been piloted last month.
While Keltron will cover the urban areas in both these districts, Akshaya will cover the rural areas.
A modified government order in this regard was issued by the State Information Technology department the other day.
The Askshya entrepreneurs were up in arms against the earlier decision of the government to hand over the enrolment of UID in entire Thiruvananthapuram district to Keltron. It was a jolt to the 200odd Akshaya entrepreneurs who were gearing up to take up the enrolment works following an earlier assurance from the government.
Enrolment to UID is quite an attractive affair as the UID Authority will pay around `38 for enrolling each person.
Akshaya entrepreneurs in Alappuzha district had already enrolled at least 1,000
persons.
"We are receiving a good response from the people towards UID enrolment. Even Akshaya entrepreneurs from other districts are coming down to Alappuzha district to get enrolled," said All Kerala Akshaya Entrepreneurs Association president T S Chandran.
The association had earlier submitted memorandum to the Chief Minister against the decision to hand over the enrolment works in Thiruvananthapuram to Keltron.
It was after much dillydallying that the State Government had launched UID enrolment here on February 24.
Use of propriety software for the enrolment and ideological objections raised by certain quarters over the collection of personal data of individuals had indeed delayed the launch of UID enrolment in Kerala.
The UID project, popularly known as Aadhaar, envisages maintaining a data base of the personal information including biometric identification marks of all citizens of India and issuing an Unique Identification number and identity card to each citizen.
Many other states are far ahead in the enrolment process.
Friday, 18 March 2011
Curbs on emigration to Bahrain, Yemen
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
19 Mar 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The Central Government has imposed restrictions on emigrations to strife-torn Bahrain and Yemen. The Centre had earlier imposed a similar restriction on emigrations to Libya.
The Overseas Indian Affairs Department has directed the Protectors of Emigrants to impose a temporary ban on emigrations to Bahrain and Yemen for one month.
''We have received the communication in this regard the other day and hence, we are not giving any emigration clearance to these countries these days,'' Protector of Emigrants in Thiruvananthapuram Pradeep A said.
The Centre had earlier issued a twomonth ban on emigrations to Libya.
However, though the Centre had imposed a ban on granting emigration clearance, it is not applicable to those who do not require emigration clearance. Emigration clearance is now applicable only to those who had not passed SSLC. Hence, many are still going to the troubleaffected West Asian countries, sources said.
The emigration officials at airports are briefing those going to these countries about the situation prevailing there. ''We are asking those going to the troubled countries to postpone their journey until the situation gets back to normal. However, many are forced to go in order to retain their jobs,'' said Port Registration Officer at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, Vimal.
Mystery over the death
Meanwhile, mystery shrouds the death of Stephan Abraham, of Pathanamthitta district, in Bahrain on Wednesday. Though the initial reports suggested that Stephan suffered bullet injury when security forces fired at agitators from helicopters, the company authorities are suspicious about this.
M D Mathew, chief executive officer of Almoayyed Contracting Firm, where Stephan was working as a security official, said that though he had taken the statements of other workers about the incident, they did not mention about the presence of any security personnel or firing from the helicopter in the locality at the time of the incident. ''It is suspected that the bullets had entered the room through the windows. But the source of the bullet remains mysterious. Hence, we are seeking a detailed probe into the incident,'' Mathew told 'Express' over phone from Bahrain.
He said that the body of Stephan would be brought back by Sunday. The Almoayyed firm will take care of the family of Stephan, Mathew said. Stephan, who was earlier serving in the Indian Army, had also taken part in the Kargil war. He had joined the security wing of Almoayyed, which is a leading firm in Bahrain, around oneandahalf years ago.
The New Indian Express
19 Mar 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The Central Government has imposed restrictions on emigrations to strife-torn Bahrain and Yemen. The Centre had earlier imposed a similar restriction on emigrations to Libya.
The Overseas Indian Affairs Department has directed the Protectors of Emigrants to impose a temporary ban on emigrations to Bahrain and Yemen for one month.
''We have received the communication in this regard the other day and hence, we are not giving any emigration clearance to these countries these days,'' Protector of Emigrants in Thiruvananthapuram Pradeep A said.
The Centre had earlier issued a twomonth ban on emigrations to Libya.
However, though the Centre had imposed a ban on granting emigration clearance, it is not applicable to those who do not require emigration clearance. Emigration clearance is now applicable only to those who had not passed SSLC. Hence, many are still going to the troubleaffected West Asian countries, sources said.
The emigration officials at airports are briefing those going to these countries about the situation prevailing there. ''We are asking those going to the troubled countries to postpone their journey until the situation gets back to normal. However, many are forced to go in order to retain their jobs,'' said Port Registration Officer at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, Vimal.
Mystery over the death
Meanwhile, mystery shrouds the death of Stephan Abraham, of Pathanamthitta district, in Bahrain on Wednesday. Though the initial reports suggested that Stephan suffered bullet injury when security forces fired at agitators from helicopters, the company authorities are suspicious about this.
M D Mathew, chief executive officer of Almoayyed Contracting Firm, where Stephan was working as a security official, said that though he had taken the statements of other workers about the incident, they did not mention about the presence of any security personnel or firing from the helicopter in the locality at the time of the incident. ''It is suspected that the bullets had entered the room through the windows. But the source of the bullet remains mysterious. Hence, we are seeking a detailed probe into the incident,'' Mathew told 'Express' over phone from Bahrain.
He said that the body of Stephan would be brought back by Sunday. The Almoayyed firm will take care of the family of Stephan, Mathew said. Stephan, who was earlier serving in the Indian Army, had also taken part in the Kargil war. He had joined the security wing of Almoayyed, which is a leading firm in Bahrain, around oneandahalf years ago.
Thursday, 17 March 2011
N0RKA gearing up to face any eventuality
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
17 Mar 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: WITH three-month emergency being clamped in the West Asian country of Bahrain, the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NoRKA) Department is once again gearing up to meet any eventuality.
The crisis in Bahrain followed the recent mass eviction from another West Asian nation Libya and the NoRKA Department had made elaborate arrangements in New Delhi and Mumbai for a trouble-free transit of the evictees to their home towns.
Following the crisis in Bahrain, top officials in the NoRKA Department are in constant touch with the officials of the Ministry of External Affairs as well as the Overseas Indian Affairs Ministry.
It is estimated that there are nearly three lakh Indians in Bahrain, one-third of which is Malayalis.
“The feedback we have received from the Centre is that the situation in Bahrain is so far not so alarming. Especially following the intervention of the troops from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the Bahrain administration seems to be gaining control over the agitators and there is no need for any immediate eviction of Indians,” sources in the NoRKA Department said.
“The Centre would initiate any measures such as mass eviction from another country only as an extreme step as diplomatic matters are concerned,” sources added.Besides Bahrain, the agitations in Yemen and Oman are also matters of concern for India as there is considerable number of Indians in these countries.
Either the NoRKA Department or its field agency NoRKA-Roots had not yet received any personal requests from Malayalis from these countries seeking help.
Recruiting Agents Association of Kerala president and a businessman in Bahrain B Vivek said that there was no major cause for concern for the Indians in Bahrain for the time being as things were quite under control.
“Since the communication systems were slightly affected many are not able to keep be in touch with their relatives. However, with the intervention of troops from Saudi Arabia things are quite under control,” he said adding that things were expected to be back to become normal in the coming days.
Express had earlier reported that the unrest in the West Asian countries may affect the job prospects of thousands of Indians, including Keralites. It would even have its repercussions on Kerala economy as remittances from NRKs constitute about 25 percent of the total deposits received by the banks in the state.
The New Indian Express
17 Mar 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: WITH three-month emergency being clamped in the West Asian country of Bahrain, the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NoRKA) Department is once again gearing up to meet any eventuality.
The crisis in Bahrain followed the recent mass eviction from another West Asian nation Libya and the NoRKA Department had made elaborate arrangements in New Delhi and Mumbai for a trouble-free transit of the evictees to their home towns.
Following the crisis in Bahrain, top officials in the NoRKA Department are in constant touch with the officials of the Ministry of External Affairs as well as the Overseas Indian Affairs Ministry.
It is estimated that there are nearly three lakh Indians in Bahrain, one-third of which is Malayalis.
“The feedback we have received from the Centre is that the situation in Bahrain is so far not so alarming. Especially following the intervention of the troops from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the Bahrain administration seems to be gaining control over the agitators and there is no need for any immediate eviction of Indians,” sources in the NoRKA Department said.
“The Centre would initiate any measures such as mass eviction from another country only as an extreme step as diplomatic matters are concerned,” sources added.Besides Bahrain, the agitations in Yemen and Oman are also matters of concern for India as there is considerable number of Indians in these countries.
Either the NoRKA Department or its field agency NoRKA-Roots had not yet received any personal requests from Malayalis from these countries seeking help.
Recruiting Agents Association of Kerala president and a businessman in Bahrain B Vivek said that there was no major cause for concern for the Indians in Bahrain for the time being as things were quite under control.
“Since the communication systems were slightly affected many are not able to keep be in touch with their relatives. However, with the intervention of troops from Saudi Arabia things are quite under control,” he said adding that things were expected to be back to become normal in the coming days.
Express had earlier reported that the unrest in the West Asian countries may affect the job prospects of thousands of Indians, including Keralites. It would even have its repercussions on Kerala economy as remittances from NRKs constitute about 25 percent of the total deposits received by the banks in the state.
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
No sweet 'home' for Home minister
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
16 Mar 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The Rajan case, Naxal Varghese case, Chalai and Poonthura riots, Marad massacre, police actions at Muthanga and Sivagiri, ThankamaniUdayakumar custodial tortures the list of law and order issues that figured in the previous election campaigns is long. To his credit, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has not left behind any major embarrassing situation for the government at least on electioneve. However, the campaign may be vitiated by the CheriyathuraKasargod police firings which claimed several lives, Sampath custodial death, chopping of Prof T J Joseph's palm and the political violence in Kannur.
Kodiyeri made various initiatives in the Police Department, including the enactment of new Kerala Police Act and the Kerala AntiSocial Activities Prevention Act, strengthening of community policing system by giving it legal sanctity, forming Home Guard and Student Police units and streamlining the recruitment process in the department. He also brought in cosmetic changes in the police like replacing the riflecarrying sentries in front of police stations and setting up of visitor's desk at the police station. However, he did not make any remarkable improvement in the law and order situation in the state.
The vital statistics of the Kodiyeri reign reveal the following. Nearly 2,000 murders, over 30,000 incidents of harassment against women and children, 12 custodial deaths, over 30 complaints of custodial torture and robbery of valuables worth over `300 crore. There is a huge trust deficit between the people and the police.
Kodiyeri had allowed his party cadre to exert pressure on the cops as a result of which Left activists forcibly released political activists from police stations. The Police Department was politicised in transfers, postings and routine policing. His political bosses forced Kodiyeri to act against IG Rishiraj Singh for raiding the digital studio of IG Tomin Thachankary's wife. Thachankary, connected with a section in the CPM top brass, was also given a key posting as IG Kannurrange, despite a strict directive from Chief Minister that the tainted officer should not be posted in key posts. The proLeft cadre in the police also gained more strength with the silent blessings of Kodiyeri. He held the Vigilance portfolio but failed to wipe out corruption from the government, especially the Police Department.
Kodiyeri landed in a number of controversies, including the lavish refurbishing of his official residence. He was also haunted by the alleged nexus of his son Bineesh with shady characters like Sabarinath, Omprakash, Madathil Reghu and even a foreign call girl, hifi reception allegedly organised by controversial business man Xavy Mano Mathew during his elder son Benoy Kodiyeri's marriage and the 'poomoodal' ritual at the Kadampuzha Devi temple in his name.
The New Indian Express
16 Mar 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The Rajan case, Naxal Varghese case, Chalai and Poonthura riots, Marad massacre, police actions at Muthanga and Sivagiri, ThankamaniUdayakumar custodial tortures the list of law and order issues that figured in the previous election campaigns is long. To his credit, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has not left behind any major embarrassing situation for the government at least on electioneve. However, the campaign may be vitiated by the CheriyathuraKasargod police firings which claimed several lives, Sampath custodial death, chopping of Prof T J Joseph's palm and the political violence in Kannur.
Kodiyeri made various initiatives in the Police Department, including the enactment of new Kerala Police Act and the Kerala AntiSocial Activities Prevention Act, strengthening of community policing system by giving it legal sanctity, forming Home Guard and Student Police units and streamlining the recruitment process in the department. He also brought in cosmetic changes in the police like replacing the riflecarrying sentries in front of police stations and setting up of visitor's desk at the police station. However, he did not make any remarkable improvement in the law and order situation in the state.
The vital statistics of the Kodiyeri reign reveal the following. Nearly 2,000 murders, over 30,000 incidents of harassment against women and children, 12 custodial deaths, over 30 complaints of custodial torture and robbery of valuables worth over `300 crore. There is a huge trust deficit between the people and the police.
Kodiyeri had allowed his party cadre to exert pressure on the cops as a result of which Left activists forcibly released political activists from police stations. The Police Department was politicised in transfers, postings and routine policing. His political bosses forced Kodiyeri to act against IG Rishiraj Singh for raiding the digital studio of IG Tomin Thachankary's wife. Thachankary, connected with a section in the CPM top brass, was also given a key posting as IG Kannurrange, despite a strict directive from Chief Minister that the tainted officer should not be posted in key posts. The proLeft cadre in the police also gained more strength with the silent blessings of Kodiyeri. He held the Vigilance portfolio but failed to wipe out corruption from the government, especially the Police Department.
Kodiyeri landed in a number of controversies, including the lavish refurbishing of his official residence. He was also haunted by the alleged nexus of his son Bineesh with shady characters like Sabarinath, Omprakash, Madathil Reghu and even a foreign call girl, hifi reception allegedly organised by controversial business man Xavy Mano Mathew during his elder son Benoy Kodiyeri's marriage and the 'poomoodal' ritual at the Kadampuzha Devi temple in his name.
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
Chandy pops up as new target of Achuthanandan
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
15 Mar 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: While digging out the alleged corruption in the palmolein import deal, comrade V S Achuthanandan would have never ever dreamt that the case would create this much repercussions in Kerala politics.
Though K Karunakaran was the target of Achuthanandan while he took up the issue two decades ago, the deadly cannon in the form of palmolein case has already fired on Keralacadre IAS officer P J Thomas and is now ominously trained at UDF's prospective Chief Minister candidate Oommen Chandy.
P J Thomas was shown the door recently by the Supreme Court from the post of Central Vigilance Commissioner as he was an accused in the palmolein case. Thomas, who was a former Food and Civil Supplies Secretary in Kerala, is the eighth accused in the case.
Now it seems to be the turn of Oommen Chandy who is the 23rd witness in the case. With the new twist in the twodecadesold case coinciding with the upcoming Assembly elections, the LDF hopes to take maximum advantage out of it. Hence, the LDF cadres need to be thankful to Achuthanandan for digging out the scam.
The LDF has already gained political advantage over the UDF from the Idamalayar corruption case in which Kerala Congress (B) leader R Balakrishna Pillai was sentenced to oneyear imprisonment. The Idamalayar case was also fought by Achuthanandan. The fresh developments in the ice cream parlour case involving IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty was also a setback to the UDF.
Achuthanandan, while being the Opposition Leader, had raised the allegation of corruption in the import of palmolein by the then Congress government led by K Karunakaran during early 1990s. Around 15,000 tonnes of palmolein were imported from Singaporebased Power and Energy Corporation to Kerala. The LDF Government which came to power afterwards ordered a Vigilance investigation into it.
The Vigilance and AntiCorruption Bureau had filed chargesheet in the case in 2001 against eight persons, including Karunakaran, the then Food and Civil Supplies Minister T H Musthafa and P J Thomas. The case, however, remained caught in a legal tangle for nearly a decade after Karunakaran approached the Supreme Court and stayed the proceedings. With the death of Karunakaran, the stay got vacated and the case is once again in the limelight.
Though the actual target of Achuthanandan was Karunakaran, the latter did not face any major backlash in his career owing to the palmolein case, it has caused damage to unintended figures such as Oommen Chandy and Thomas.
The New Indian Express
15 Mar 2011
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: While digging out the alleged corruption in the palmolein import deal, comrade V S Achuthanandan would have never ever dreamt that the case would create this much repercussions in Kerala politics.
Though K Karunakaran was the target of Achuthanandan while he took up the issue two decades ago, the deadly cannon in the form of palmolein case has already fired on Keralacadre IAS officer P J Thomas and is now ominously trained at UDF's prospective Chief Minister candidate Oommen Chandy.
P J Thomas was shown the door recently by the Supreme Court from the post of Central Vigilance Commissioner as he was an accused in the palmolein case. Thomas, who was a former Food and Civil Supplies Secretary in Kerala, is the eighth accused in the case.
Now it seems to be the turn of Oommen Chandy who is the 23rd witness in the case. With the new twist in the twodecadesold case coinciding with the upcoming Assembly elections, the LDF hopes to take maximum advantage out of it. Hence, the LDF cadres need to be thankful to Achuthanandan for digging out the scam.
The LDF has already gained political advantage over the UDF from the Idamalayar corruption case in which Kerala Congress (B) leader R Balakrishna Pillai was sentenced to oneyear imprisonment. The Idamalayar case was also fought by Achuthanandan. The fresh developments in the ice cream parlour case involving IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty was also a setback to the UDF.
Achuthanandan, while being the Opposition Leader, had raised the allegation of corruption in the import of palmolein by the then Congress government led by K Karunakaran during early 1990s. Around 15,000 tonnes of palmolein were imported from Singaporebased Power and Energy Corporation to Kerala. The LDF Government which came to power afterwards ordered a Vigilance investigation into it.
The Vigilance and AntiCorruption Bureau had filed chargesheet in the case in 2001 against eight persons, including Karunakaran, the then Food and Civil Supplies Minister T H Musthafa and P J Thomas. The case, however, remained caught in a legal tangle for nearly a decade after Karunakaran approached the Supreme Court and stayed the proceedings. With the death of Karunakaran, the stay got vacated and the case is once again in the limelight.
Though the actual target of Achuthanandan was Karunakaran, the latter did not face any major backlash in his career owing to the palmolein case, it has caused damage to unintended figures such as Oommen Chandy and Thomas.
Monday, 14 March 2011
State told to conduct security audit of websites
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
14 Mar 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Concerned over the increasing attacks on Kerala’s cyber space, even from the Pak Cyber Army (PCA), the Union Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has directed the State Government to conduct a security audit of websites of government departments and organisations.
The Computer Emergency Response Team-Kerala (CERT-K) has been entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the security audit of government websites by engaging audit agencies and take corrective measures in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In).
The State IT Department has also directed CERT-K to conduct awareness programmes for all heads of government departments.
“There are more than 250 websites of various departments and organisations under the State Government, and most of these sites are vulnerable to hacking owing to weak security features. Over the past couple of years more that 100 websites of the State Government departments and organisations were hacked. The source of many of these cyber attacks was traced to Pakistan, especially the Pak Cyber Army,” said CERT-K director Mahesh I C.
Pak Cyber Army is a group of Pakistani hackers who caught attention by hacking more than 200 Indian websites, including that of the Central Bureau of Investigation, in December 2010, and posting pro-Pakistan and anti-Indian contents.
During the 2011 New Year eve, the cyber experts in the country were on a high alert following a threat from PCA to hack various Indian websites, including those of Kerala Government.
Union IT Secretary S K Sharma has directed the State Government to conduct a security audit of all the websites of the government departments and organisations.
The IT Ministry also directed that all the government websites should be hosted only on servers of government agencies such as the National Informatics Centre to ensure security.
“We have informed all the department heads about the Central alert and the need to initiate corrective measures,” said IT Secretary K Suresh Kumar.
CERT-K, which was formed on the lines of CERT-In an year ago, has already corrected defacement of over 100 government websites including that of NORKA-Roots, Arogyakeralam, Directorate of Technical Education and Cochin Port Trust.
The Government is also looking into the scope of granting legal powers to CERT-Kerala so that they could even probe into the overseas links of the hackers, said Suresh Kumar.
According to Mahesh, the most frequent type of cyber attack on state government websites was SQL injection where the administrative username and password of a website is hacked and malicious contents posted on the site.
“Weak security features are found to be the major factor that facilitates hacking. CERT-K is giving proper directions and training to the government officials on cyber security,” Mahesh said.
CERT-K is also developing a Defacement Tracking Software that would function as a watchdog against hacking of government websites round the clock, Mahesh said.
The New Indian Express
14 Mar 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Concerned over the increasing attacks on Kerala’s cyber space, even from the Pak Cyber Army (PCA), the Union Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has directed the State Government to conduct a security audit of websites of government departments and organisations.
The Computer Emergency Response Team-Kerala (CERT-K) has been entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the security audit of government websites by engaging audit agencies and take corrective measures in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In).
The State IT Department has also directed CERT-K to conduct awareness programmes for all heads of government departments.
“There are more than 250 websites of various departments and organisations under the State Government, and most of these sites are vulnerable to hacking owing to weak security features. Over the past couple of years more that 100 websites of the State Government departments and organisations were hacked. The source of many of these cyber attacks was traced to Pakistan, especially the Pak Cyber Army,” said CERT-K director Mahesh I C.
Pak Cyber Army is a group of Pakistani hackers who caught attention by hacking more than 200 Indian websites, including that of the Central Bureau of Investigation, in December 2010, and posting pro-Pakistan and anti-Indian contents.
During the 2011 New Year eve, the cyber experts in the country were on a high alert following a threat from PCA to hack various Indian websites, including those of Kerala Government.
Union IT Secretary S K Sharma has directed the State Government to conduct a security audit of all the websites of the government departments and organisations.
The IT Ministry also directed that all the government websites should be hosted only on servers of government agencies such as the National Informatics Centre to ensure security.
“We have informed all the department heads about the Central alert and the need to initiate corrective measures,” said IT Secretary K Suresh Kumar.
CERT-K, which was formed on the lines of CERT-In an year ago, has already corrected defacement of over 100 government websites including that of NORKA-Roots, Arogyakeralam, Directorate of Technical Education and Cochin Port Trust.
The Government is also looking into the scope of granting legal powers to CERT-Kerala so that they could even probe into the overseas links of the hackers, said Suresh Kumar.
According to Mahesh, the most frequent type of cyber attack on state government websites was SQL injection where the administrative username and password of a website is hacked and malicious contents posted on the site.
“Weak security features are found to be the major factor that facilitates hacking. CERT-K is giving proper directions and training to the government officials on cyber security,” Mahesh said.
CERT-K is also developing a Defacement Tracking Software that would function as a watchdog against hacking of government websites round the clock, Mahesh said.
Saturday, 5 March 2011
End of the road for PJ Thomas
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
05 Mar 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Supreme Court verdict quashing PJ Thomas as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) will not only take away the much-coveted post from him, but may also see an end to his civil service career.
Thomas, who attained the retirement age of 60 in January this year, was appointed CVC in September last. Hence he got nearly four years of extension in service. The term of the CVC is for four years from the date of appointment or until 65, whichever is earlier.
Meanwhile, sources point out that as per the Central Vigilance Commission Act even if there is a directive of the Supreme Court, the President is the only competent authority to remove a person from the post of CVC. But since the SC has quashed the very appointment of P J Thomas as the CVC, there is no question of expelling him from the post, it is pointed out.
Ineligible for any Government job
The Act also says that a person who had held the post of CVC will be ineligible for any further appointment, including that of any diplomatic assignment or employment to any office of profit under the State or Central Governments.
PJ Thomas, an IAS officer of 1973 batch, had held various sensitive posts in the state as well as in the Centre. Prior to his appointment as the CVC, P J Thomas was serving as the Telecom Secretary at the Centre. He had served as the Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary (Higher Education) and Chief Electoral Officer in Kerala.
The New Indian Express
05 Mar 2011
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Supreme Court verdict quashing PJ Thomas as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) will not only take away the much-coveted post from him, but may also see an end to his civil service career.
Thomas, who attained the retirement age of 60 in January this year, was appointed CVC in September last. Hence he got nearly four years of extension in service. The term of the CVC is for four years from the date of appointment or until 65, whichever is earlier.
Meanwhile, sources point out that as per the Central Vigilance Commission Act even if there is a directive of the Supreme Court, the President is the only competent authority to remove a person from the post of CVC. But since the SC has quashed the very appointment of P J Thomas as the CVC, there is no question of expelling him from the post, it is pointed out.
Ineligible for any Government job
The Act also says that a person who had held the post of CVC will be ineligible for any further appointment, including that of any diplomatic assignment or employment to any office of profit under the State or Central Governments.
PJ Thomas, an IAS officer of 1973 batch, had held various sensitive posts in the state as well as in the Centre. Prior to his appointment as the CVC, P J Thomas was serving as the Telecom Secretary at the Centre. He had served as the Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary (Higher Education) and Chief Electoral Officer in Kerala.
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