Letter row: Kerala HC issues notices to Thiruvananthapuram mayor

In the letter allegedly written by mayor addressed to the party district secretary A Nagappan sought party activists’ list for appointment in 295 temporary posts in the corporation

Kerala high court on Thursday issued notices to Thiruvananthapuram mayor Arya Rajendran on a plea seeking the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the controversial letter purportedly written by her to employ party cadres in the corporation.

The matter has been posted for November 25. (File image)

After admitting the petition filed by GS Sreekumar, a former councillor of the corporation, justice K Babu issued notices to the state government, mayor, deputy mayor, ruling LDF parliament secretary DR Anil Kumar and the CBI.

The matter has been posted for November 25.

In his petition, Sreekumar said more than one thousand appointments were conducted at the corporation in two years through back door, nepotism and corrupt practices.

He alleged investigation by a state agency will not suffice claiming several political bigwigs could be behind these deals.

Several posts were filled blatantly with party supporters as many eligible candidates were reportedly waiting for their turns.

He said initially party workers would be taken into temporary posts and later, regularise them leaving other genuine job aspirants in lurch.

“The above act of nepotism is against the oath taken at the time of swearing in while she and party parliamentary secretary should be tried under relevant laws against corruption,” he contended.

He said the mayor and Anil Kumar had subverted employment opportunities of thousands of qualified people like this.

The state capital has been witnessing a series of protests after the letter surfaced last week.

In the letter allegedly written by mayor addressed to the party district secretary A Nagappan sought party activists’ list for appointment in 295 temporary posts in the corporation. Though themMayor later said the letter was not written by her and the government also ordered a probe, the opposition BJP and Congress alleged she was forced to retract after her letter came out in the open.

Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, who is also at the centre of a controversy himself with the government, also mentioned it two days back saying “In Kerala it seems government jobs were reserved only for party cadres.”

However, the mayor reiterated that she neither signed nor sent any letter to the party secretary.

“The government has announced a probe by crime branch. Let the truth come out. The opposition is seeking my resignation till I assumed power two years ago,” said Rajendran.

Appointed at the age of 21, she was the youngest mayor when she assumed power in 2020.

Opposition Congress and BJP said they will continue their protest till the time she resigns.