CPI(M)'s criticism of courts not comparable: Opposition leader

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 11 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Oommen Chandy today said the negative criticism unleashed by CPI(M) leaders against courts should not be compared with the constructive suggestions made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for harmonious functioning of the executive, legislature and judiciary.

Referring to the remarks made by CPI(M) state Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan that the Prime Minister had also criticised the judiciary, Mr Chandy said in a news conference here that it was a wrong interpretation of the PM's address at the recent conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts.

The Prime Minister had only made certain suggestions for the harmonious functioning of the three organs, he said, adding that on the other hand, the CPI(M) leaders were blindly criticising the court.

Terming it as unfortunate, he said Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan should not have criticised the High Court which had yesterday quashed the order of the Pudussery Gram Panchayat in Palakkad district cancelling the licence granted to Pepsico to operate its plant at Kanjikkode.

Mr Chandy said the court issued the order as per the provisions in the existing law that excluded the industrial area from the purview of the Panchayati Raj Act, with the result that the Panchayat cannot take steps under the Act.

If the government is sincere in its effort, it should amend the provisions, he said.

UNI