Setback to Kerala govt as HC quashes LDF’s Nava Kerala Citizen Response Programme

In a setback to the Kerala government, the High Court on Tuesday (February 17, 2026) quashed a government order (GO) of October 2025 to conduct a door-to-door survey named ‘Nava Kerala Citizen Response Programme’.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. thus allowed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the programme, filed by the president of Kerala Students’ Union, Aloshious Xavier, and Ernakulam native Mubas M H. In the PIL, Mr. Xavier had alleged that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government was misusing public funds to conduct the programme ahead of the Assembly elections.    

While hearing the plea, the court said that it found sufficient cause to direct the government to keep in abeyance all steps and proceedings initiated pursuant to the order. It further directed the government not to proceed any further with the implementation of the programme envisaged under the order, citing that the expenditure incurred for it is in violation of the rules of business. “Hence, the order has been set aside, to the extent it authorised the Information and Public Relations department to utilise ₹20 crore from the title ‘Special PR Campaign’,” the court said.

In his plea, Mr. Xavier had alleged that the survey that began in early January was a blatant misuse of public funds and of the government machinery, for “a partisan political campaign that was disguised as an administrative exercise.”