<p>Thiruvananthapuram: As the Kerala High Court on Tuesday quashed a state government order on conducting Nava Keralam Citizens Response Programme', yet another pre-poll exercise of the left-front government has suffered a setback.</p><p>The Pinarayi Vijayan government initiated the programme from January 1 with the stated objective of collecting feedback from citizens on various development and welfare programmes of the government as well as suggestions on the future development needs. Service of volunteers was being used for the door to door data collection.</p>.Resentment towards CM Pinarayi Vijayan? Defections from CPM brewing ahead of Kerala elections.<p>But the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has been alleging that it was a political campaign of the left-front ahead of the Assembly elections. </p><p>A letter sent by CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan to party members to enroll themselves as volunteers for the programme, that too ahead of a formal announcement of the programme by the government, raised many eyebrows.</p><p>Considering the pleas by leaders of Congress' students outfit -- Kerala Students Union (KSU), the HC quashed an order issued by the state government allocating Rs 20 crore for the programme and directed to keep in abeyance all steps related to it. </p><p>A bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M said the expenditure incurred for the implementation of such a programme is in violation of the rules of business.</p><p>The petitioners -- KSU state president Aloshious Xavier and others -- alleged that the programme amounted to misuse of public funds for political gains of the ruling front ahead of the 2026 state Assembly elections. </p><p>They also termed it as a "political campaign, masquerading as a government programme."</p><p>State law minister P Rajeev said that the government would take further steps after reviewing the verdict.</p><p>Congress legislature party leader V D Satheesan said that the government's attempt to carry out a publicity campaign using tax payers money was stalled by the High Court.</p>.Travancore Devaswom Board admits to flaws in Ayyappa Sangamam finances.<p>A slew of initiatives by the Pinarayi Vijayan government, including the Global Ayyappa Sangamam and the Chief Minister's mega quiz programme for students were said to be pre-poll campaigns. </p><p>The Ayyappa Sangamam is already caught up in a row over the expenses incurred.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: As the Kerala High Court on Tuesday quashed a state government order on conducting Nava Keralam Citizens Response Programme', yet another pre-poll exercise of the left-front government has suffered a setback.</p><p>The Pinarayi Vijayan government initiated the programme from January 1 with the stated objective of collecting feedback from citizens on various development and welfare programmes of the government as well as suggestions on the future development needs. Service of volunteers was being used for the door to door data collection.</p>.Resentment towards CM Pinarayi Vijayan? Defections from CPM brewing ahead of Kerala elections.<p>But the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has been alleging that it was a political campaign of the left-front ahead of the Assembly elections. </p><p>A letter sent by CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan to party members to enroll themselves as volunteers for the programme, that too ahead of a formal announcement of the programme by the government, raised many eyebrows.</p><p>Considering the pleas by leaders of Congress' students outfit -- Kerala Students Union (KSU), the HC quashed an order issued by the state government allocating Rs 20 crore for the programme and directed to keep in abeyance all steps related to it. </p><p>A bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M said the expenditure incurred for the implementation of such a programme is in violation of the rules of business.</p><p>The petitioners -- KSU state president Aloshious Xavier and others -- alleged that the programme amounted to misuse of public funds for political gains of the ruling front ahead of the 2026 state Assembly elections. </p><p>They also termed it as a "political campaign, masquerading as a government programme."</p><p>State law minister P Rajeev said that the government would take further steps after reviewing the verdict.</p><p>Congress legislature party leader V D Satheesan said that the government's attempt to carry out a publicity campaign using tax payers money was stalled by the High Court.</p>.Travancore Devaswom Board admits to flaws in Ayyappa Sangamam finances.<p>A slew of initiatives by the Pinarayi Vijayan government, including the Global Ayyappa Sangamam and the Chief Minister's mega quiz programme for students were said to be pre-poll campaigns. </p><p>The Ayyappa Sangamam is already caught up in a row over the expenses incurred.</p>