Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 25 (IANS) A nine-member legislative committee, appointed by the Kerala assembly speaker to probe charges of irregularity in the appointment of V.S. Achuthanandan's son as director of a state-run IT institute, decided Thursday to summon the former chief minister and 13 others.


Confirming that Achuthanandan would indeed be summoned, a committee member said: “The 13 others include two legislators, bureaucrats and officials. The decision was taken after the opposition walked out of a meeting in which it was asked if Arunkumar’s appointment was in order.”

The matter was raised in the assembly July 12, when Congress legislator P.C. Vishnunath presented documents seeking to show that rules were flouted during the veteran Marxist's reign as chief minister in the appointment of his son, V.A. Arunkumar, as director of the ICT Academy in February.

Achuthanandan, now leader of opposition, denied the charges and said that the matter should be inquired by an assembly committee.

The issue first came to light through a Right to Information (RTI) query by R.S. Sasikumar, currently a syndicate member of the Kerala University.

The other allegations that will be probed pertain to Arunkumar’s posting at the state-run Institute of Human Resources Development and also his role in the recently set up Finishing School.

“The next sitting will be held here on Sep 20 and the IT secretary has been asked to appear before the probe panel," the committee member said. "The date of Achuthanandan's appearance is yet to be fixed.”