Kerala HC closes petitions that questioned confidentiality of State government’s agreement with Sprinklr

The Kerala High Court has closed a batch of petitions challenging the confidentiality of the State government’s agreement with Sprinklr, a U.S.-based data analytics firm, for managing COVID-related data.

The petitioners contended that sensitive personal data had been shared with the firm without adequate safeguards to prevent potential misuse. They also raised concerns regarding the protection of privacy.

The State argued that the agreement did not involve any financial liability, as the services were provided free of cost. It submitted that only the firm’s data-management tools were used during the pandemic and that the data themselves remained secure. The arrangement was primarily intended to identify COVID-infected persons. The State further contended that the unprecedented nature of the pandemic necessitated immediate action and that there had been no instance of data theft or misuse.

Confirming its earlier directions, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. held that the extraordinary circumstances prevailing during the pandemic justified the State’s actions, although certain procedural lapses were noted. Observing that the State ought to have exercised greater caution and explored alternatives such as the National Informatics Centre, the court held that no further orders were required in the matter.