Former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, who was in contention for the top political post in Kerala after the May 16 assembly elections, was appointed chairman of the Administrative Reforms Committee (ARC), a post carrying cabinet status. It is the first time that a former Chief Minister has been given the ARC post.

Former chief secretaries Neela Gangadharan and CP Nair are other members of the three-member commission.

• After Pinarayi Vijayan was made the Chief Minister of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in May, Achuthanandan categorically said that none of those who know him will believe he is hankering after any post.

• On two previous occasions, the ARC was headed by serving Chief Ministers — E.M.S. Namboodiripad and later by E.K. Nayanar. Senior Indian Civil Service officer M.K. Vellodi, who also served as a diplomat, also led the ARC at one point of time.

• The ARC post is seen as an attempt to mollify the veteran who was aiming for the Chief Minister’s post for the second time after leading the LDF to a huge win in the May 16 assembly polls.

• the national leadership of the Communist Party of India-Marxist honoured him with a ceremonial status of ‘Kerala’s Fidel Castro’ and made his party colleague and arch rival Pinarayi Vijayan the Chief Minister.
• Earlier, on July 19, the State Assembly had passed an amendment to the Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualifications) Amendment Act, 1951. This had effectively cleared the way for Achuthanandan’s appointment to the head of the Administrative Reforms Commission.

Administrative Reforms Committee

The Administrative Reforms Commission {प्रशासनिक सुधार आयोग} or ARC is the committee appointed by the Government of India for giving recommendations for reviewing the public administration system of India.

• The first ARC was established on 5 January 1966.

• The Administrative Reforms Commission was initially chaired by Morarji Desai, and later on K. Hanumanthaiah became its chairman when Desai became the Deputy Prime Minister of India