Amendment to put VS Achuthanandan in office

Thiruvananthapuram: Cabinet on Wednesday set in motion the process of finding a suitable post for veteran CPM leader V S Achuthanandan by deciding to bring an amendment to office of profit act.

The amendment bill which will be introduced in the current session of Assembly, seeks to exempt positions like chairman of Administrative Reforms Commission from the purview of the Act. Achuthanandan is being considered for the chairman's post which had earlier been held by E M S Namboodiripad and E K Nayanar.

Sources said if Achuthanandan takes up the post without amending the Act, being an MLA he could face disqualification. In 2006, Congress President Sonia Gandhi had to resign from the Lok Sabha and seek re-election from Rae Bareli. She was holding the additional office of Chairperson of the National Advisory Council, a Cabinet rank post.

Sources said bringing an amendment bill was not an exhaustive exercise. It is only a clarification about the post being exempted from the office of profit act. Cabinet entrusted chief secretary to finalise the formalities for amending the act. He is likely to finalise the details within a week.

Both CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury and politburo member Prakash Karat had categorically stated that the party had taken a decision on Achuthanandan and an appropriate decision would be taken by by Cabinet soon.

Both the leaders who were in Thiruvananthapuram during the past two days had take up the matter with the state leadership.

Sources said Achuthanandan who had not reacted so far on the issue, is not averse to taking up the post. E M S Namboodiripad and E K Nayanar have held he post of chairman, Administrative Reforms Commission in the past.