New Delhi: In a significant relief to the Kerala government, the Supreme Court of India has stayed the High Court order that had cancelled the Nava Kerala Survey, allowing the ambitious public outreach initiative to continue. The apex court observed that there was nothing inherently wrong in the government seeking public feedback on projects implemented with substantial public expenditure.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi questioned the petitioners on what was objectionable about consulting citizens on schemes that involve spending crores of rupees. The court underscored that gathering public opinion is a legitimate exercise in governance.
The Bench also found no merit in the allegation that the CPI(M) State Secretary’s participation in the survey rendered it unlawful. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appeared for the state government.
With the stay order in place, the Nava Kerala Survey is set to proceed, bringing temporary closure to the legal uncertainty surrounding the programme.
