As Kerala’s local self-government elections rapidly approach, the political temperature is rising with the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) launching serious corruption allegations against the Kochi Corporation. The UDF claims the Corporation has been under intense scrutiny by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) throughout the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) five-year administration. The LDF, predictably, has swiftly dismissed these accusations as entirely unfounded.
These accusations gained fresh momentum last week following the arrest of two Corporation officials—a superintendent and a Revenue inspector—from the Edappally zonal office. The UDF highlighted this incident as the latest in a troubling pattern, noting that the officials were allegedly apprehended red-handed while accepting bribes of ₹5,000 and ₹2,000 from a Kaloor resident seeking a change in building ownership.
M.G. Aristotle, the UDF parliamentary party secretary within the Corporation, sharply criticized the current administration, stating, ‘Over the past five years, a staggering 19 Corporation officials have been arrested, with five of those arrests occurring in just the last three months. The Corporation has unfortunately become a prime target for the VACB under the LDF’s watch. We are prepared to stage a robust protest.’
The Corporation Council was thrown into turmoil in December 2024 when ruling councillor P.S. Viju presented an audio clip. This clip allegedly captured a Revenue inspector from the Vytilla zonal office demanding a hefty bribe of ₹2 lakh for tax relief, purportedly on behalf of then-Development Standing Committee chairperson P.R. Ranish and Town Planning Committee chairperson J. Sanilmon. The implicated official has since been suspended pending investigation.
Adding to the growing list of concerns, Councillor Benedict Fernandes also brought forward a bribery accusation against a building inspector in the Corporation’s Fort Kochi zonal office. Mr. Aristotle pointed out a significant disparity: ‘While the council passed a resolution to refer both allegations to the VACB, direct action has only been taken against the officials involved. The VACB has, however, escalated the allegations concerning the standing committee chairperson to its director for further decision-making.’
Mayor M. Anilkumar responded by emphasizing that the implementation of K-Smart has considerably curbed opportunities for direct corruption. He acknowledged, however, that while outright bribery might be reduced, officials can still unfairly delay applications—a practice he deemed equally unacceptable.
He elaborated on the systemic challenges, stating, ‘If an application adheres to all regulations, service should not be withheld due to a refusal to pay a bribe. Unfortunately, problems often arise much earlier, during the building plan approval stage, where violations are frequently overlooked through illicit payments. Furthermore, when applicants are continuously called back under the guise of missing documents, many resort to paying bribes simply to avoid prolonged hassle. A fundamental shift in this culture is essential.’
Intriguingly, sources within a prominent Left-affiliated trade union—representing a significant number of Corporation officials—unveiled a concerning ‘unholy nexus’ between licensed building surveyors and specific Corporation personnel.
Speaking anonymously, a union official explained, ‘Building surveyors, whose mandate is strictly to ensure adherence to construction regulations and submit completion plans, have regrettably transformed into de facto intermediaries for expediting plan approvals. They now often provide ‘bundled services’ that implicitly include a bribery element for various officials. The increasing number of arrests and ongoing investigations strongly suggest a heightened level of vigilance and a concerted effort to tackle this deep-seated issue.’