Thiruvananthapuram: The state Cabinet on Wednesday decided to appoint former chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan as the chairman of Administrative Reforms Commission ending the two-month long speculations about the veteran’s future.

Mr Achuthanandan will have Cabinet rank, personal staff and all other facilities attached to the post. The Cabinet also appointed former chief secretaries C.P. Nair and Neela Gangadharan as members of the commission. They will have the status of chief secretary.

While there were reports that political representatives from CPM and CPI would be inducted in the commission, the government chose to pick only former bureaucrats. An official release here said the commission had been constituted to improve efficiency in administration and governance.

Thiruvananthapuram: Disqualifications, Amendment Bill to pave the way for Mr Achuthanandan’s appointment as chairman of the commission. The Opposition UDF had criticised the new post pointing out that it would result in additional burden on the state exchequer.

The UDF leadership also alleged that the post had been given to the veteran leader to silence him.

This is the fourth Administrative Reforms Commission being set up in the state. Earlier E.M.S. Namboodiripad and E.K. Nayanar had headed the ARC.