The State government has again extended the accreditation period of agencies picked for executing public works in Keralam.

UDF govt. order extending accreditation period of Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society till July 31 sparks debate

This time, the accreditation of “existing agencies” will be valid “up to the date of issuance of a new government order on accreditation, with retrospective effect,” a Finance department order dated September 2, 2026 said.

The initial extension, given till July 31, 2026 shortly after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had come to power, had created a flutter as the list of agencies included the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS).

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Congress accusation

While in the Opposition, senior Congress leaders, including the present Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K.C. Venugopal, had accused the then Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of going out of its way to award contracts to the ULCCS.

The LDF government had in September 2022 extended the term of 46 agencies, including the ULCCS, up to May 31, 2026, with a rider that further renewal would be subject to a review of their performance.

After the term expired, the Finance department under the new UDF government had issued an order on June 27, 2026, saying that the government had examined the matter “in detail” and was extending the period up to July 31, 2026, “with retrospective effect.”