Congress MLA Advocate Chandy Oommen responds to controversy over empanelment as NHAI counsel

Congress lawmaker advocate Chandy Oommen has found place in the list of empanelled advocates for the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), a body functioning under the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. .The list was issued on September 7 by SK Mallik, the General Manager of NHAI’s Kerala Regional Office.The inclusion of Oommen's name in the list has raised eyebrows, particularly due to his political standing as a Congress MLA and his family's Congress legacy. His father late Oommen Chandy was a former Chief Minister of Kerala.Besides Oommen, the list also includes lawyers linked to various other political parties.The list outlines the roles of these advocates in matters concerning land acquisition, arbitration and various court proceedings..Oommen told Bar & Bench that his initial empanelment took place in 2022, prior to his election as an MLA from the Puthuppally constituency in September 2023 and the present list was a renewed list and not a fresh appointment. "Two years back in 2022, I applied for the empanelment of advocates in NHAI when they called for application, and I was appointed then before I become an MLA. I was included in the list published. Now this is some renewal and this is a renewed list and not a fresh appointment," he said. For the last 7 months, they have not given any files nor have I taken a single file for NHAI and that is the reality, Oommen added.When questioned about his intentions to remain on the NHAI panel or resign from his position, Oommen said, "Now the project director is calling me- did you apply as a lawyer, and he said that they are cancelling the list. There is nothing untrue that I have done. As a lawyer, I could apply for any position before I became an MLA. I applied and they appointed me, and every party people are their in the list. CPI(M) leaders are also there, current Government Pleaders are there. If they are removing the list, it is their duty, well and good. I have nothing to do with it. It's a professional thing and since they are cancelling the list, it shows that I have done nothing wrong, unethical or immoral."Oommen made it clear that his political stance remains unchanged and also said that NHAI will be excluding him from the list."It was an old list and it got renewed. Now they find my name in it, so they want to cancel it. I have not taken any different political stance whatever be the case, whether they appoint me or not appoint me. My political stand has not changed," he stated..The Union Government is yet to make any official statement regarding the cancellation of the advocate panel list, but Oommen remains firm in his assertion that his appointment was purely professional and devoid of any political influence..[Read Notification]