KSU moves HC against Nava Kerala survey; govt seeks time to file reply

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Students Union (KSU) has moved the Kerala High Court challenging the state government’s ‘Nava Kerala Citizen Response Programme’.

KSU state president Aloysius Xavier filed a public interest litigation (PIL) on Tuesday against the programme, which is scheduled to be launched in January 2026, based on a Cabinet decision taken on October 29, 2025. The government has sought time to file a reply. A Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice heard the matter and posted the case for hearing on January 21.

According to the petition, the government plans to spend ₹20 crore from the public exchequer to conduct a large-scale survey covering around 80 lakh households across Kerala. The survey aims to gather feedback on the government’s development initiatives and future policy priorities. 

The KSU alleged that the exercise would be used to prepare the LDF’s manifesto for the 2026 Assembly elections.

Xavier contended that the project, which the Chief Minister’s Office directly oversees, amounts to a misuse of public funds and an unlawful attempt to secure political advantage for the ruling party and the LDF using government resources.  KSU state general secretary and advocate Jain Jaison Pottackal appeared before the court on behalf of the petitioner.

In his petition, Xavier argued that the state already has sufficient professional institutions and mechanisms to conduct surveys and demographic studies. He said the proposed programme would impose an unnecessary financial burden on the state treasury and taxpayers, and described it as a purely political exercise carried out at public expense.

Xavier said the organisation would continue statewide protests to highlight what he described as the government’s failures and the “hollowness” of the Left front’s claims. He added that the public would ultimately recognise what he termed the misuse of public funds by the Pinarayi Vijayan government.

In October 2025, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, while announcing the Nava Keralam Citizens' Response Programme at his post-Cabinet briefing, termed it as a "development and welfare study project", adding that it will provide a new strength and direction to Kerala's progress. The CPM, which suffered a major setback in the recently held local-body elections in Kerala, plans to gauge public sentiment and their response to its welfare initiatives in the run-up to the assembly elections.