Kerala High Court Suspends LDF Government's 'Nava Kerala' Survey Programme
In a significant judicial setback for the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala, the Kerala High Court has ordered the immediate suspension of the ongoing 'Nava Kerala Citizens Response Programme'. This survey, purportedly designed to gather public feedback on development and welfare initiatives, has been placed in abeyance following a court ruling that cited procedural irregularities and potential political misuse.
Court Quashes Government Orders and Rs 20 Crore Allocation
A bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V M Syam Kumar has set aside the government order dated October 10, 2025, which authorized the Information and Public Relations Department to utilize Rs 20 crore for the survey programme. The court also invalidated all subsequent government orders, including those granting administrative sanction for the initiative.
The ruling came in response to public interest litigations (PILs) filed by KSU state president Aloshious Xaviour and M H Mubas of Perumbavoor, who challenged the legality and timing of the survey. The petitioners argued that conducting such a survey immediately before the assembly elections, using public funds, effectively constituted a door-to-door political campaign for the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led front.
Constitutional and Procedural Violations Cited
The court found merit in the petitioners' contention that the Rs 20 crore allocation violated Articles 204 and 205 of the Constitution, as well as the Rules of Business of the government. The bench observed that all fund allocations require prior authorization from the legislature, which was not obtained in this case.
Furthermore, the court noted that designating the Information and Public Relations Department as the nodal agency and allocating funds under the 'special PR campaign' head was contrary to established procedures. The objective of collecting ideas and suggestions to improve welfare schemes, the court stated, falls within the domain of the Planning and Economic Affairs Department or the Programme Implementation, Evaluation and Monitoring Department—not the Information and Public Relations Department.
Allegations of Political Manipulation Through Volunteer Portal
Another critical issue raised in the petitions concerned the engagement of volunteers registered on the 'Karma Sena – Social Volunteer Force' portal to conduct the survey. The petitioners highlighted a letter written by the CPM state secretary to district committees on September 23, 2025, which instructed party members to urgently register on the portal and coordinate with the programme.
This communication preceded the official announcement of the scheme by the state government, leading to allegations that the programme was launched primarily to advance the political interests of the ruling party. The petitioners argued that this was particularly inappropriate given the state's financial distress and the approaching 2026 assembly elections.
The CPM state secretary, who was later impleaded in the petitions, defended the involvement, stating that the participation of political sympathizers in a government programme is neither illegal nor prohibited. However, the court remained unconvinced.
Court Questions Timing and Transparency
The bench observed that the Karma Sena portal was originally constituted in 2020 for volunteer support during natural disasters, making its repurposing for the Nava Kerala Programme questionable. The court emphasized that such specialized activities should be entrusted to competent and qualified professionals with expertise in assessing development schemes.
The court also noted that the state government failed to provide a tenable explanation for how the CPM secretary's letter was issued to party cadres well before the cabinet decision and the issuance of the government order. The counter-affidavit and reply filed by the state did not disclose any steps taken to ensure wide publicity for volunteer enlistment, lending credence to allegations of a concerted effort to covertly use the programme by enabling party cadres to flood the portal.
Doubts Over Data Utilization and Election Timing
Finally, the court expressed skepticism about whether the government would have sufficient time to analyze and utilize the data collected through the survey, given the substantial expenditure of several crores. The survey is being conducted in the brief gap between the Model Code of Conduct for the 2025 local body elections and the impending code for the 2026 assembly elections, raising further questions about its timing and intent.
This ruling represents a major judicial intervention in what the court perceives as a potentially politically motivated use of public resources, setting a precedent for greater scrutiny of government initiatives launched in the run-up to elections.
