The Kerala High Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that had challenged the appointment of former State Finance Minister Dr. T.M. Thomas Isaac as Advisor to the Kerala Knowledge Economy Mission (KKEM).
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji pronounced the order, holding that the writ petition lacked proper research and substance. The Court observed:
“The State Government has engaged someone who is an expert in the field as an advisor, who has agreed to work on a voluntary basis. The writ is unsupported by proper research. It is unfortunate that respondent no. 5 (Isaac) was subject to such petition. Writ petition is dismissed.”
The PIL was filed by one Navas A, claiming to be an RTI activist, challenging the notification issued by the Ex-Officio Secretary, Department of Planning and Economic Affairs (Development & Innovation), appointing Dr. Isaac as an advisor to coordinate the activities of Vinjanakeralam, an initiative under the KKEM.
The petitioner contended that there is a Department of Planning and Economic Affairs in Kerala but no department titled “Planning and Economic Affairs (Development and Innovation)” as mentioned in the appointment order. He further argued that the order was issued by an Ex-Officio Secretary instead of a full-fledged Secretary, which, according to him, was impermissible in law.
The plea also raised objections regarding the legality of the process and claimed that such an appointment could not have been made without proper sanction.
The State Government, represented by the Advocate General, clarified that the correct department was indeed the Department of Planning and Economic Affairs, and any discrepancy in nomenclature could be ratified. It was further submitted that Dr. Isaac had agreed to render his services without any remuneration. The only financial liability upon the State would be a reimbursement of fuel and driver charges up to a maximum of ₹70,000, in case Dr. Isaac used his personal vehicle for official duties.
Taking note of the submissions, the Court found no illegality in the appointment and emphasized that a qualified expert working on a voluntary basis could not be subjected to unnecessary litigation. The Bench also remarked that the PIL lacked credibility and had unnecessarily dragged Dr. Isaac into controversy.
The Kerala Knowledge Economy Mission (KKEM), spearheaded by the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC), is a flagship initiative of the State aimed at creating high-quality employment opportunities for the educated youth of Kerala. Dr. Isaac, a seasoned economist and academic, was brought on board as an advisor to coordinate the mission’s activities and provide strategic guidance.
• Case Title: Navas A v. State of Kerala
• Case No.: WP(C) 45335/2024
• Counsel for Petitioner: Akhil Surendran
• Counsel for Respondents: N. Manoj Kumar, S.M. Rajeevan, Vivek Menon, Nandagopal S. Kurup, Rance R.
• Amicus Curiae: Anjali Menon
The judgment copy is yet to be uploaded, but the oral pronouncement makes it clear that the Court found the PIL to be devoid of legal merit.
