Kerala govt asked by HC to explain stand on Congress PIL against AI camera installation

Kochi: The state government, Keltron, and a number of private companies involved in the installation of artificial intelligence (AI) cameras under the Safe Kerala initiative have been ordered by the Kerala High Court on Tuesday to explain their positions in response to a request made by two Congress leaders for cancellation of the project's approval.

As part of the project, the state government was also told not to make any financial payments by a bench of Chief Justice Sarasa Venkatanarayana Bhatti and Basant Balaji without first seeking additional clarity from them or until future instructions.

The court issued notice to the state government, its transport, finance and industries departments, Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (Keltron) and several private companies connected with the tender process and installation of the cameras under the project.

The bench also directed the two Congress leaders — Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan and his party colleague Ramesh Chennithala — to file an additional affidavit “on their zero tolerance towards corruption”.

The court said it was seeking the affidavit in order to infuse more transparency in the decision-making process.

The petitioners have challenged the orders issued by the LDF government with regard to the installation and operation of the AI cameras across the state alleging “illegalities, nepotism, favouritism and corruption” in the grant of contract under the project and its implementation.

They have demanded the quashing of the administrative sanction and the comprehensive administrative approval given to the ‘Automated Traffic Enforcement System for Safe Kerala’ project.

Their plea has also sought a declaration from the court that SRIT India Pvt. Ltd, which was given the work contract by state-run Keltron, was unqualified to participate in the tender process as they do not have any expertise in traffic signal monitoring and do not satisfy the stipulations in the tender document.

The petitioners also wanted the service level agreement between Motor Vehicle Department and Keltron, the letter of intent issued to SRIT and the agreement entered between Keltron and the private company to be declared as illegal and be set aside.

Besides, they sought a court-monitored enquiry into the project and its execution.

Chennithala and other Congress leaders have been alleging that the Left government had indulged in some irregularities in awarding the tender to SRIT for the setting up of a fully-automated traffic enforcement system.

The Kerala government had in 2020 entered into an agreement with Keltron for the project.

In April this year, Vijayan had inaugurated the ‘Safe Kerala’ project, which included the installation of AI cameras, envisaged to reduce road accidents and traffic violations in the state.

With PTI inputs