Thiruvananthapuram, June 24: Nineteen BJP councillors from Thiruvananthapuram Corporation took their oaths again on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the Kerala High Court invalidated their previous oaths, which included references to various deities and martyrs. This incident has sparked a new political confrontation in the state capital.
Mayor VV Rajesh administered the oath during a special ceremony at the corporation office. Among those taking the oath were Deputy Mayor Asha Nath and other councillors. The opposition boycotted the event.
This re-oath ceremony followed the High Court’s decision that declared the oaths taken by 20 BJP councillors after local body elections as invalid. The court instructed them to take the oath again within four weeks, in accordance with the provisions of the Kerala Municipal Act, and stated that they could not exercise the rights of elected members until then.
However, the controversy did not end with Wednesday’s ceremony. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) filed a complaint with the Principal Secretary of the Local Self-Government Department. They alleged that the re-oath process did not fully comply with the High Court’s conditions and demanded an official investigation into the matter.
In its significant ruling, the High Court clarified that elected representatives could either take an oath in the name of God or make a solemn affirmation. Justice PV Kunhikrishnan noted that the Kerala Municipal Act does not provide a broad interpretation of the term ‘God’, making oaths taken in the names of multiple deities legally invalid.
The court also questioned why legal formats could not be changed to accommodate the inclusion of various deities’ names. The BJP insists it has complied with the court’s directives, while the LDF raises questions about the methods employed. This situation appears to be heading towards another round of legal and political scrutiny.
Leave a Comment