Kochi, Feb 17 (IANS) The Kerala High Court, in its order on Tuesday staying the Nava Kerala Survey, made serious observations against the CPI(M) headed by State Secretary M.V. Govindan. It also came down heavily on the Kerala government.

The Division Bench pointed out that the party appeared to have had prior knowledge of the survey.

The court questioned how the party came to know about a government decision in advance and noted that no credible explanation was offered in this regard.

Before the government order was issued, a letter had been sent to CPI(M) cadres.

The State Secretary’s response to the allegation was evasive, the court observed, adding that this gave strength to the petitioners’ claims.

The High Court set aside the Nava Kerala Survey after finding violations of the Rules of Business in the sanction of Rs 20 crore under the name of a ‘special PR campaign.’

The court observed that the allocation of funds itself amounted to a breach of procedure.

It also expressed doubts about the manner in which the survey was conducted.

The State Cabinet had decided to conduct the survey on October 8, 2025.

However, days before that decision, the party secretary had sent a letter to party cadres, asking them to register on the portal created for the survey.

The petitioners produced this letter before the court.

The court said the letter could not be dismissed lightly and remarked that there were grounds to suspect an attempt by the party to induct its cadres into the survey process secretly.

CPI(M) State Secretary Govindan was also made a respondent in the case.

However, the Division Bench, headed by the Chief Justice, said the affidavit submitted by the party secretary was not satisfactory.

The Bench described the matter as a deviation from financial norms.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had announced the Nava Kerala Survey as a programme to hear from the public about the government’s development and welfare initiatives.

With Assembly elections approaching, the court’s decision is being viewed as a major setback for the government.

The petition was filed by KSU State President Aloysius Xavier and Congress Ernakulam District Panchayat member Mubas Onakkali.

Their main contention was that the survey, though funded by the government, was in effect a data-gathering exercise by the CPI(M) ahead of the elections.

They argued that public money was being misused to collect information from citizens and to establish contact with voters for the party’s benefit.

The court observed that prior approval from the Finance Department was mandatory for conducting such a survey at government expense.

It found that no such approval had been obtained.

The survey, which was scheduled to continue until February 22, was stayed after the court held the proceedings to be unlawful.

–IANS

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