A group of RTI activists has accused P.V. Anvar, Nilambur MLA, of holding non-agricultural land violating the provisions of the Kerala Land Reforms Act.
At a press meet here on Thursday, Mr. Manoj Kedaram and Mr. K.V. Shaji, members of Vivaravakasa Koottayma, an organisation of RTI activists, said that the MLA owned 207.84 acres of land, according to the affidavit submitted by him during the 2016 Assembly polls.
As per the Land Reforms Act, the higher limit of land that an individual or a family could own was 15 acres. “To escape legal scrutiny, Mr. Anvar had mentioned the extent of land in square feet, not in acres or cents as done by other candidates. Similar affidavits were submitted when he contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election and 2011 Assembly election too. Those details are available on http://affidavitarchive.in,” they added.
Mr. Shaji said that it was unfortunate that the legal mechanism in the country could not comprehend the problem though the MLA had admitted this gross violation of the Act in his affidavits. “The details submitted in election affidavits are not being subjected to any inquiry,” he said.
Second wife’s role
The activists also alleged that he had not given the details of his second wife, Afsath, in the election affidavits. “Ms. Afsath is his partner in the controversial theme park in Koodaranhi Grama Panchayat. PVR Entertainment, in which Mr. Anvar and Ms. Afsath are partners, owns the 11 acres in Koodaranhi where the park is situated. Sixty per cent of the land belongs to Mr. Anvar,” they alleged.
Mr. Shaji and Mr. Kedaram said that they had sent representations to the Governor and the Speaker, Legislative Assembly, seeking action against the MLA.
“The government should take steps to take over the excess land from Mr. Anvar. As the MLA has violated the provisions of an Act passed by the legislature, he has no moral rights to continue in the post. Either he should resign on his own or the Chief Minister should seek his resignation,” they added.
Mr. Anvar was not available for comments.