Kerala High Court seeks state’s view on Assembly violence

Kochi: Kerala High Court on Thursday sought the state's opinion  whether the police can proceed with the complaint filed by the secretary of the Assembly in connection with the violence in the House.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice A.M. Shaffique passed the order on a plea by P.D. Joseph of Thrissur.

The petitioner also sought a directive to the state to realise the compensation amount for the damage from the five Opposition MLAs – K. Ajith, Sivankutty, K.T. Jalil, K. Kunjammed and E.P. Jayarajan - who were suspended for allegedly vandalising the Speaker’s dais  during the budget presentation.

The petitioner submitted that the suspended MLAs and other LDF members had hatched a criminal conspiracy against the presentation of the budget and destroyed public property in the  Assembly.

Besides, public property worth lakhs of rupees was damaged during the state-wide agitation and the hartal called by the LDF on the next day.

Till date the police have not taken any effective action against the culprits due to political influence, and no investigation has been launched into the incidents, the petitioner argued.

He submitted that there were reports that the Assembly secretary had filed a complaint before the police and that a crime was registered.