Kerala Assembly opens with tributes to former CM Achuthanandan; Suspended Congress MLA Mamkoottathil attends

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], September 15 (ANI): Proceedings of the 14th session of the 15th Kerala Assembly, popularly known as the Kerala Niyamasabha, opened on Monday with obituary references to former Chief Minister Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan and others.
Speaker A N Shamseer and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan offered tributes to Achuthanandan who passed away on July 21 this year at the age of 101.
Achuthananadan's death has put an end to a chapter in Kerala's social and political progress history, the Chief Minister said.
"The passing of VS Achuthanandan marks the end of a significant chapter in Kerala's social and political progress. His death is a great loss not only to Kerala but also to the progressive community. VS played a pivotal role in advancing the communist movement and workers' rights. He was also deeply involved in environmental and women's issues, transcending party lines."

Obituary references were also made to veteran Congress leader PP Thankachan and CPI MLA Vazhoor Soman. Soman passed away on August 21 at the age of 72 after collapsing while attending a revenue assembly at PTP Nagarin Thiruvanthapuram. Thankachan, 87, passed away at a private hospital in Ernakulam on September 11.
Meanwhile, Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil, who is facing accusations of sexual misconduct and suspended from the Congress Parliamentary Party (CLP) was seen arriving at the Assembly today.
CLP leader V D Satheesan on Friday evening handed over a letter to the Speaker's office informing that Mamkootathil is no longer a member of the party will be considered as part of an independent block.
Mamkootathil was suspended from the primary membership of Congress on August 25 after three individuals raised inappropriate misconduct and sexual misbehaviour allegations against him. The government formed a crime branch team to probe the allegations, and the audio of a phone conversation allegedly between Mamkootathil and the victims.
He subsequently resigned from his post as the State President of the Youth Congress.
Mamkoottathil has been allotted a seat away from the UDF bloc in the Assembly.
The Assembly Session will continue till October 10 and will be held in three phases- September 15 to 19, September 29 to 30, and October 6 to 10- covering a total of 12 working days.
Major bills for consideration include the Kerala General Sales Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024; the Kerala Societies Registration Bill, 2025; the Kerala Guruvayur Devaswom (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Kerala Coir Workers Welfare Cess (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
Speaking to ANI earlier Shamseer said, "This session is exclusively for lawmaking, with two days set aside specifically for private member bills." He stated that the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly was constituted in 2021, and four years have passed; 137 bills have been passed.
Addressing a press conference, he informed that the Assembly will take up several important legislations during this session, including the Kerala General Sales Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024; the Kerala Societies Registration Bill, 2025; the Kerala Guruvayur Devaswom (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Kerala Coir Workers' Welfare Cess (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
In addition, the Kerala Public Records Bill, 2023--which was referred to the Select Committee after being introduced on July 11, 2024--will also be considered in this session.
The House will also replace the Kerala Public Service Commission (Additional Functions in respect of Services under Universities) Amendment Ordinance, 2025, with a Bill, the Speaker said. (ANI)