Assignment of Kerala University land to AKG Centre challenged before HC

A retired Joint Registrar of Kerala University has approached the Kerala High Court, challenging the alleged assignment of 15 cents of land belonging to Kerala University to the Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s former State headquarters AKG Centre (the AKG Memorial Research Centre) in Thiruvananthapuram.

In his petition, the retired official, R.S. Sasikumar, alleged that a government order in this regard was untraceable in all official records, including in the Department of Archaeology, revenue, and other statutory offices.

The said centre was not a recognised research institution of the university and the land, even if assigned, had been grossly misused for functioning as the office and political hub of a political party, contrary to the purpose of assignment and statutory mandates. It was nothing but land grabbing by use of muscle power of the political party.

Despite repeated representations and applications under the Right to Information Act, the competent authorities had failed to provide the impugned GO. Neither had they initiated proceedings for eviction and repossession. The alleged assignment was illegal, unconstitutional, and void, being in violation of the Kerala University Act and of principles governing public property, he submitted.

The matter was forwarded to the Bench of the High Court Chief Justice, which hears public interest litigations.