Kerala govt staff data for poll outreach: Petition in HC against privacy breach, seeks restraint on bulk messaging

Ernakulam: A petition has been filed in the Kerala High Court alleging that the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) illegally collected and misused the personal data of government employees to promote government achievements.

According to the petitioners, phone numbers were unlawfully extracted from data submitted by government employees on the SPARK portal and used to send messages linked to election campaigning. The petition was filed by Advocate George Poonthottam on behalf of Rasheed Ahammed, Associate Professor, KTM College, Malappuram and Anil Kumar K M, clerical assistant, Government Secretariat. 

The petitioners allege that personal information, including phone numbers, was collected and used without permission, in clear breach of privacy norms. They argue that personal data submitted for official government projects cannot be used for political promotion, and that transferring data from platforms such as SPARK to the CM's office, if done, constitutes a serious violation of privacy.

In recent days, government and semi-government employees in Kerala received messages from the CM's Office as part of election-related outreach. The messages highlighted issues such as DA hike, salary revision, and housing loans, which they argue could influence government staff.

Similar messages were sent to private individuals and entrepreneurs who had registered their details to avail government services, informing them about newly approved benefits as part of the same promotional campaign.

The plea contends that the government's action is contrary to Supreme Court judgments on the right to privacy, and that a government entrusted with protecting citizens' personal data cannot leak or use such information for electoral advantage, calling the move illegal and unconstitutional.