The Kerala High Court criticized the Chief Minister’s Office for allegedly using government employees’ personal data to send promotional messages, calling it a serious invasion of privacy. The Court questioned how the CMO accessed information from the Service Payroll Administrative Repository for Kerala (SPARK), emphasizing that personal data should not be used for unauthorized purposes. It raised concerns about the government disseminating unsolicited information and demanded an explanation on the source and authorization of the accessed data.
The Court halted the circulation of messages by the State government until the issue is resolved, seeking a detailed explanation from the government. It instructed the government to submit an affidavit detailing the number of messages sent by the CMO and to whom, aiming to clarify the data acquisition and usage process. The case is set to be revisited on Friday, with a focus on data governance practices within the government amid allegations of privacy breaches.
The Court’s scrutiny gains significance as it questions the dissemination of bulk messages promoting the State government’s achievements to employees ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The incident highlights concerns over data privacy practices within the government, particularly as it involves a Communist government, known for advocating data privacy. Recent instances, including a state-sponsored survey controversy, have drawn attention to governance transparency and data protection issues.
