Akhila Malankara Almaya Forum, that claims to fight for free and fair elections in the Jacobite Church, has protested against the alleged move by the church hierarchy to continue with the same office-bearers of the Malankara Association for another five years.
Forum president Manoj Kokkattu and patron M.C. George told media persons on Monday that it would be a mockery of the church constitution if the current office-bearers, who have co-mpleted two terms, are allo-wed to continue by swappi-ng positions at the Associ-ation elections on August 30.
They were reacting to rep-orts that the current team of office-bearers, who have completed 10 years in their posts, will continue by swap-ping positions to overcome a two-term limit clause in the church constitution .
Forum members allege that no budget was been presented in the church for the last 10 years and no audited accounts were shown to anyone.
This has led to the impression that by trying to ensure the continuation of current office-bearers the church hierarchy wants to hide something, they say.
They add that the Forum will take its fight to the courts and also invoke other democratic means to bring accountability in church affairs.
The church hierarchy had also kept women out of the election proceedings, they added.