Kerala High Court Directs State to Decide on Expert Panel for Digital Re-Survey Probe
Today, a Division Bench ordered the State government to decide on forming a committee to investigate alleged tender irregularities in the digital re-survey following a petition by Congress leader Shaji J. Kodankandath.
The Kerala High Court has directed the state government to decide on appointing an expert panel to investigate alleged irregularities in the digital re-survey of land records. The order comes amid concerns over the accuracy and transparency of the survey process, which aims to update land records using modern technology. The court's intervention highlights the importance of ensuring the integrity of land records, which are crucial for property rights and governance. The state is expected to respond to the court's directive, which could lead to a formal inquiry into the matter.
The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the State government to decide on constituting an expert committee to probe alleged irregularities in the digital re-survey of land records conducted during the previous government’s tenure. The order was passed by a Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V.M. Syam Kumar on a petition filed by Congress leader Shaji J. Kodankandath (The Hindu).
The petition alleges that irregularities in the tenders for digital survey equipment caused a loss of ₹150 crore to the public exchequer and seeks a Vigilance investigation into the matter. During the hearing, Revenue department Joint Secretary N.C. Santhosh informed the court that the constitution of the expert committee, as suggested by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) Director, was under the active consideration of the government. Santhosh added that a decision would be taken soon. The VACB Director had also recommended that the committee include experts from various fields (The Hindu).
The Hindu