Lokayukta has no authority to order an inquiry into internal affairs of political parties: HC

KOCHI: The Lokayukta has no authority to order an inquiry into the internal affairs of political parties, including candidate selection, the High Court said. "The Lokayukta cannot inquire into the nomination of political parties as it is not an exercise of public administration", Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Murali Purushothaman said while cancelling the Lokayukta's order to conduct an inquiry against former CPI state secretary Panniyan Ravindran and others in connection with candidate selection.
The Lokayukta has ordered an inquiry into Bennett Abraham's candidature in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Thiruvananthapuram.

Thiruvananthapuram resident A Shamnad filed a complaint in the Lokayukta stating that Thiruvananthapuram constituency is a payment seat and there was a bribery transaction of Rs 1.87 crores in the elections. The Lokayukta then ordered an inquiry against Pannyan Ravindran, C Divakaran, who was a member of the national executive, and R Ramachandran, who was a member of the state executive. The High Court considered the petition filed by Panniyan Ravindran stating that the Lokayukta has no authority to conduct such an investigation.