THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Speaker has taken action over the breach of privilege notice against Thomas Issac in connection with the CAG row. The speaker has transferred the notice to the ethics panel. The move comes after the speaker finding the complaint against finance minister Thomas Isaac as a liable one.

The opposition has alleged that the finance minister has publicised the confidential CAG report against KIIFB before the media. The usual procedure is to submit it before the assembly, but Thomas Issac has violated it and publicised it before the media initially. Following this, the opposition has served a breach of privilege notice against the finance minister alleging that it is a politically motivated move and the move was hatched by the finance minister and department secretary together. They also alleged that it amounts to insulting the assembly.

Ethics panel will seek the finance minister’s justification on the issue. Earlier the finance minister has given an explanation to the speaker after meeting him in person. Even though the common practice is to end the proceedings against the ministers on breach of privilege notice after receiving their justification but it is for the first time in the legislative history of the state, that the speaker is handing over the breach of privilege complaint against a minister to the ethics committee.