Vizhinjam panel for clarity on purview

Thiruvananthapuram:  The three-member commission inquiring into the Vizhinjam project  agreement with Adani Ports will seek more clarity from the government whether it has powers to examine the CAG report on the pact. The commission headed by retired justice C.N. Ramachandran is examining the terms of reference of the agreement with Adani Ports and SEZ Private Ltd for implementing the Rs 7,525-crore Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport project.

The commission after its first sitting in Kochi on Thursday decided to ask the government to reissue the notification on the terms of reference of the commission clarifying  the issue.  The CAG report had pointed out that the unfavourable conditions in the concession agreement of the Vizhinjam seaport project had gone against the interests of the state government and to the advantage of Adani Ports. The state government had appointed the  commission to look into this on May 31, 2017.The government had asked it  to find out the culprits who caused losses to the government based on the CAG report. 

The commission has clarified that it wants to avoid criticism about probing  things not mentioned in the terms of reference. The government had earlier informed the High Court that the commission has the authority to examine the contract. The government had also clarified that the Constitution gives the commission the right to do so.