Kerala High Court orders SIT probe into illegal installation of flex board outside Secretariat

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the State Police Chief to form a special team of officers to investigate the unauthorised installation of a massive board in front of the State Secretariat at the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram [St Stephen's Malankara Catholic Church Kattanam Village v State of Kerala]..Justice Devan Ramachandran also took a serious view of the allegation that the board was installed at the behest of the Kerala Secretariat Employees Association (KSEA).The Court questioned how such a flex board was installed, that too allegedly by an association of government officials, despite several orders against such illegal hoardings."This Court is unable to understand how, even after repeated orders and action that have been issued and completed, anybody has the temerity to put up any board/flag, much less that of the size now reported. To add to this, it is alleged to have been put up by an Association, with its office bearers being civil servants," it observed. It proceeded to order the State Police Chief to task a special team with the probe into this matter, including the role allegedly played by KSEA members and the identities of those responsible, including printer or advertisement agencies."I direct the State Police Chief to constitute a competent team of officers to ensure that an investigation into the complaint of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on the installation of the board is conducted and completed swiftly, to verify who is responsible," the Court ordered. .The Court's order came following a report dated January 15, 2025, submitted by an amicus curiae, advocate Harish Vasudevan.According to reports, a massive flex to announce the conduct of a January 16 Jubilee event, which also featured Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's image, was installed earlier this week in front of the State Secretariat. The flex also indicated that it was installed by the KSEA. The amicus curiae's report to the High Court revealed that the KSEA President and Secretary held significant government ranks, being an Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary to the State, respectively.The hoardings, allegedly installed at the behest of such government employees, were removed swiftly by the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation following widespread media coverage. .The Court commended the Corporation for acting swiftly to remove the illegal board and ordered it to file a detailed report, including information on fines imposed, amounts collected, and the efforts taken for the proper disposal of the removed hoardings.The Court also noted that if office bearers were involved in the installation, it would constitute a clear breach of government and judicial orders by them."If the illegal board had been installed by an Association of employees of the Government, then certainly, it is in breach of Government Orders, as also judicial directives; and the persons concerned would have to be proceeded disciplinarily, apart from penal provisions being attracted," it said.The standing counsel for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, advocate Suman Chakravarthy, informed the Court that a complaint has already been lodged with the Cantonment Police Station regarding the illegal hoarding.Apart from instructing the State Police Chief to form a special team to probe the matter, Justice Ramachandran also instructed the Government Pleader to update the Court on the government's proposed actions against the violators by the next hearing. .The matter will be heard next on January 22. .[Read Order].[Live Coverage]