The Kannur collector had passed an order quashing the appointment of Seva Bharati as a relief agency in the district and had taken the decision based on complaints by a Grama Panchayat President, a Ward Councilor, and others.
The Kerala High Court on Thursday (August 26) quashed an order by the Kannur district collector cancelling Seva Bharati’s appointment as a relief agency.
The district collector has passed the cancellation order on the complaints made by a Grama Panchayat President, a Ward Councilor, and others.
The court noted, “The fact that complaints are made by the Panchayat President or District Panchayat President, does not make such complaints acceptable as such without any inquiry.”
Seva Bharati was appointed as a relief agency on May 5 this year. But, the district collector cancelled the order within four days alleging that Seva Bharati volunteers have been working using the symbol and signs of a political party.
The petitioner, Deseeya Seva Bharati Kerala general secretary D Vijayan, had stated Seva Bharati was operating 1270 Help Centres, 72 Quarantine Centres, 12 Covid Care Centres, 156 Support units for Government Covid Care Centres, 1431 Food Distribution Centres for Covid affected families, 616 Blood Donation Centres, 782 Immune Medicine Supply Centres, 42 Counselling Centres, 128 Ambulances and 552 other vehicles across Kerala.
The court said that no notice was given to the petitioner before the cancellation of the appointment. The petitioner was not informed as to who used the political symbol, where it was used and which political party’s symbols/signs were used during relief work. The court added that the district administration made no preliminary inquiry to convince itself that the complaints against Seva Bharati were not politically motivated.
