By IANS,
Kochi : The Kerala government law department Friday filed a counter affidavit in the state high court saying that the affidavit filed by Revenue Principal Secretary Nivedita P. Haran in the Thiruvananthapuram Golf Club takeover case was wrong.
Early this week, Haran had filed an affidavit in the high court expressing regret, saying that she had not violated the advocate general’s ( AG) instructions in the Golf Club takeover case. However, an impression had been created that she had violated the AG’s instructions and she regretted that.
But things went for a toss when an under secretary in the law department filed a counter affidavit denying the statements of the senior lady IAS officer.
“There seems to be no coordination between the various departments. I don’t think such a thing has happened before,” said former additional chief secretary Babu Paul.
Meanwhile, speculation is rife that such a thing has happened because of a strong lobby which is trying to scuttle the moves of the state government in taking over the Golf Club which has top bureaucrats, police officials besides politicians as members.
“This is another example of the ongoing tiff between the two communists parties in the state. The law department is handled by the CPI-M , while the revenue department is handled by the CPI. For the past two years they are at loggerheads and it is absolute irresponsibility on the part of the two parties,” said senior Congress legislator V.D. Satheeshan.
Law Minister M.Vijayakumar feigned ignorance of what had happened.
“I can’t make any comments unless I am seized of the issue,” said Vijayakumar.
In her petition, Haran had submitted that she had not received any written instructions from the advocate general or the government pleader concerned, not to take over the Thiruvananthapuram Golf Club as the matter was slated to come up before the high court.
The state cabinet on 30th of last month in a quick move ordered the take over the Golf Club in two days on grounds that the land belonged to the government.
The club approached the high court against the decision. The court through the AG asked the government to hold on till they hear the petition on the June 2.
This was not heeded by the government and on June 2 it took over the club, which irked the court and it ruled the same day to hand over the club to its members.