THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government is likely to resort to legal action on the poll panel stopping the government’s move to distribute rice kits. The state election commission has stopped the distribution of rice kits to white and blue ration cardholders at a rate of Rs 15 per kilogram. The food and civil supplies ministry has decided to adopt the legal route in order to take action against the poll panel’s decision. The state government has decided to initiate the distribution of food kits in the months of March and April and has also issued a circular for this purpose. But as transportation of rice kits to Kerala was delayed the distribution of food grains via PDS also got delayed. When the government approached the poll panel seeking its permission to start distribution, it denied the nod.

The opposition leader has also filed a complaint before the chief electoral officer citing that the distribution of food grains at the time of elections amounts to the violation of the model code of conduct. The government has also decided to distribute the free food kit and the rice kits for school children considering Vishu and Easter eves. The poll panel has also sought justification from the government over this. Meanwhile, the distribution of food kits for Vishu has been postponed to April 1. The government has earlier decided to give food kits towards March-end.

On Saturday morning, the chief minister has lashed out at the opposition leader on his complaint to the poll panel asking to stop the distribution of food kits, and later in the day, the opposition leader has responded to the chief minister’s jibe on him.