THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Alleging that the newly passed Wildlife Protection (Kerala Amendment) Bill is an ‘election gimmick’ and ‘politically motivated,’ retired bureaucrats and environmentalists plan to approach Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to seek rejection of the controversial legislation.

A letter signed by a group of 80 retired IAS and Indian Forest Service officers, environmentalists, and other prominent figures, including Medha Patkar, Maneka Gandhi, and Pandhuranga Hegde, will be handed over to the Governor by Coexistence Collective, Kerala, on Friday.

They pointed out that the bill violates the Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972. The collective also claimed that it lacks any scientific basis and ignores recommendations from the state planning board and the human-wildlife conflict working group.

“No discussions were held with any stakeholders or scientific experts regarding the bill,” said N Badusha, a member of the collective, at a press meet. He added that certain privileges for wild animals, ensured by the Constitution, are stripped away by the new bill.

The group alleged that the state government is politicising wildlife conservation to secure vote banks from the hilly belts in upcoming elections. They also stated that the bill was presented and passed in the assembly before obtaining sanction from the National Board for Wildlife, making it invalid.