Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala)

Kerala Assembly Speaker AN Shamseer on Monday rejected an adjournment motion notice moved by the opposition in the Legislative Assembly, stating that the issue does not have urgent public importance.

The notice raised concerns over alleged irregularities in granting parole to CPM convicts involved in the Payyannur steel bomb attack case, in which they were sentenced to 20 years.

Opposition members protested on the floor of the House following the decision.

Shamseer accused the opposition of staging a pre-planned protest, stating that even the Leader of the Opposition was aware that the adjournment motion notice could not be taken up for discussion.

He repeatedly urged the Leader of the Opposition to withdraw the protest.

Speaking on the matter, Speaker Shamseer said, "The Leader of the Opposition himself knows that the adjournment notice cannot be taken up for discussion. That is why the opposition raised placards in the House saying that it would not be taken up for discussion. How can the opposition bring placards on an issue, claiming that an urgent motion will not be considered? This is pre-planned."

Further, Kerala Parliamentary Affairs Minister MB Rajesh said the opposition's adjournment motion on the parole issue lacked urgency, noting that the Assembly had met several times since the last parole was granted and accusing the opposition of raising the matter due to a lack of issues.

"Parole is something that is granted to prisoners. The last parole was granted on 8.01.2026. After that, the Assembly has met four or five times. If this issue had urgent importance, a notice could have been given in the House then. Now, the opposition is facing a lack of issues, which is why the notice has been given now. The government has no objection to the opposition raising the matter as a submission," he said.

Opposition members, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the Speaker's ruling.

Leader of the Opposition VD Satheeshan questioned the Speaker's rejection of the adjournment motion, calling the parole issue serious and asking whether matters inconvenient to the government would no longer be discussed in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.

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"Under which provision is the Speaker saying this? Criminals are coming out onto the streets and creating unrest. This is a serious issue. Does this mean that matters inconvenient to the government will not be discussed in the Legislative Assembly? Several discussions have been held here earlier. If this issue does not have urgent importance, then what is the purpose of convening the House?" he said.

The Speaker added that if necessary, MLA KK Rema may raise the matter as a submission, allowing the issue to be discussed without treating it as an urgent adjournment motion.