The Kerala High Court on Friday upheld its 2021 single judge decision to stay a state government order appointing a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to examine any alleged attempt by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to implicate Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the gold smuggling through diplomatic channels case.
A bench of Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Syam Kumar V M said there was no error in the single judge’s August 11, 2021, interim order.
The bench’s ruling came while dismissing the Kerala government’s appeal challenging the single judge’s order.
“The Writ Appeal, being bereft of merit and substance, is hereby dismissed. The interim order dated August 11, 2021, passed by the single judge is affirmed,” the bench said.
The single judge’s order had come on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking to quash the state government’s notification regarding the appointment of the CoI.
The bench also said the issue of the state government’s legislative competence to