Amid ruckus, Kerala Assembly adjourned sine die

Amid continuing protests by the Opposition over the Sabarimala gold theft case, the 16th session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly adjourned sine die on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) after 12 days of sittings.

The final session before the Assembly elections witnessed unruly scenes again, with the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition staging protests, demanding the resignation of Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan.

The Opposition disrupted the House soon after it began even as UDF legislators raised placards and banners, shouting slogans against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. In the absence of Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who stayed away from the Assembly due to the ongoing ‘Puthuyuga Yatra’, K. Babu, MLA, informed the Speaker that the Opposition would not cooperate with the House proceedings in protest against the Sabarimala gold theft issue.

He reiterated the arguments raised by the UDF in the Assembly over the previous days, including allegations that the Chief Minister’s Office was interfering in the special investigation team’s (SIT) probe in the gold theft cases and the arrest of Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru. As protests and sloganeering continued, Speaker A.N. Shamseer suspended the Question Hour and hurried through the listed business for the session before declaring the House adjourned sine die.

As the Opposition boycotted the session after protesting in front of the Speaker’s dais with placards and banners, the House transacted all the business quickly.

In response to the Opposition charges, Industries Minister P. Rajeeve asked: “Did the Opposition have the courage to bring a no-confidence motion in the House in the last five years? Has anyone been able to bring an allegation of corruption against the any of the Ministers?”

“This is the most incompetent Opposition in the history of the Kerala Assembly,” Mr. Rajeeve said.

Pinarayi lambasts Opposition

Addressing the Assembly, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Opposition was “always afraid of” taking on the ruling side. “Normally, the final sitting of the House used to witness a barrage of arguments against the ruling side by the Opposition by taking up a host of issues. However, the fact is that the Opposition has saved its skin by just boycotting the session, and it was not even ready to hold a meaningful discussion, fearing that it would be exposed. On the other hand, they were smarter than Goebbels at spreading lies inside and outside the House,” he said..

The Assembly also turned down the demand by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to consider the policy address as read by him in the House as the official version. The Speaker ruled that “as suggested by the Chief Minister, there was no need to consider the Governor’s letters.”

Citing precedence, Mr. Vijayan said there have been instances in the past where Governors had sought clarifications or aired their differences with certain portions of the policy address by writing to the Chief Minister. This time there was no such communication, and considering the precedence, there was no need to consider his demands, he said.

During his policy address on January 20, Mr. Arlekar had omitted certain portions that criticised the Centre’s fiscal policy and references to Bills pending approval from Lok Bhavan. He also made an insertion in the policy address. However, the Chief Minister had urged the Speaker that the policy address approved by the Cabinet should be acknowledged as the official version.