Thiruvananthapuram, July 26: Kerala Assembly was adjourned for the third consecutive day today with CPI-M led Left Democratic Front (LDF) Oppostion members continuing their protest against the alleged irregularities on the use of tribal sub-plan fund.

Immediately after the zero hour, opposition members raised the issue and reiterated its demand for a judicial inquiry keeping the state minister for welfare of backward class and scheduled communities, M A Kuttappan out of the office. The members demanded a reply from the government on the matter even as the speaker took up other business of the day.

Amid vociferous protests from the opposition members, state minister for irrigation T M Jacob presented the report of the subject committee on the Kerala Ground (control and regulation) Bill, 2002, and then the speaker adjourned the house. Earlier, opposition leader V S Achuthanandan termed as "mockery" the enquiry into the matter by the chief secretary and said government was trying to protect the minister and officials.

The UDF convener, Ommen Chandy's statement that neither the minister nor any official would be made a scapegoat on the issue was a "guideline to the chief secretary" on the approach he should take on the enquiry, he said. Bureau Report