The Kerala High Court reprimanded the state on Monday for taking too long to recover damages from the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI) and its functionaries. The amount projected to cover the damage caused during the September flash hartal was Rs 5.20 crore, for which the government had earlier started recovery proceedings against PFI.
Despite the issuance of preemptive orders to proceed against the assets of PFI and its office bearers, including the Secretary, the division bench of Justice A. K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Mohammed Nias C.P. stated that “nothing substantial” has been done by the State.
The PFI and its leadership were previously the subject of suo motu proceedings by the court for calling for the “flash hartal,” and the court ordered them to pay damages estimated by the state government and the KSRTC in the amount of Rs. 5.20 crores to the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department.
The government had previously informed the court that the Revenue Department had received instructions to carry out the proceedings.
The revenue department has stated that it is “unfeasible” to complete the procedure within a month.
According to a submission, the department has already given the 14 district collectors instructions to categorise the mobile and immovable properties. The court was told that a requisition authority is to be appointed, and that authority must send requisitions to the district collectors.
