THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Though austerity was the mantra during the time of the pandemic and the newly-elected LDF government had even cut short its swearing-in ceremony, the expense for the event diverged from its aforesaid mantra.
Government sanctioned Rs 87.63 lakh for the civil works carried out at the Central stadium in connection with the swearing-in ceremony. As per the order issued in this regard on October 2, the expenses were for setting up the pandal and stage, as per the bills submitted by the chief engineer (buildings) of the public works department.
The government had claimed that PWD had spent only one-third of this amount on preparations when the first Pinarayi Vijayan-led government was sworn in at the same venue. In a reply furnished in the assembly on June 28, 2016, the chief minister had replied that only Rs 35,52,894 was spent for the ceremony then, of which PWD bills totalled to Rs 30,86,414.
The re-elected LDF government had decided to make the swearing-in ceremony a low-key affair with the participation of 500 persons at the stadium that had a capacity to seat 40,000, in the wake of Covid-19. A petition was then filed in the high court against this decision as there was a ban on congregations due to fears of a pandemic spread. Suggestions were made that the ceremony could be an online affair.
Indian Medical Association (Kerala) had urged the government to make it a virtual affair. Even some of the jurists had suggested that the event could be conducted online, as there is no mention anywhere (including the Constitution) on whether the event should be conducted as a physical event.
On a petition filed by K J Prince from Thrissur against conducting the ceremony when triple lockdown was in force, a high court division bench consisting of Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly had expressed dissatisfaction on the reply furnished by government in court and had sought additional curbs on the event. The government had then announced that it is cutting down the numbers further and the event would be a simple affair with minimal participants.
Government has been stressing on the need to maintain financial discipline in every aspect to tide over the acute financial crisis triggered by Covid-19. Finance department had even instructed all administrative departments to recommend schemes and proposals in the next year’s budget by keeping austerity measures in mind.
