Thomas Isaac
| Photo Credit: VELANKANNI RAJ. B
The Kerala High Court on Monday (August 25, 2025) dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the appointment of former Finance Minister Thomas Isaac as an advisor of Vijnana Keralam.
Stating that it was “unfortunate” that Dr. Isaac was subject to such a petition, a Division Bench led by Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji observed that the writ petition was unsupported by proper research. The Kerala government had appointed him as advisor since he was an expert in the field, and he agreed to work on a voluntary basis, it said.
The PIL was filed by one Navas A. The petitioner alleged the appointment made Dr. Isaac eligible to an allocation of ₹70,000 per month towards expenses for fuel and driver, which he claimed was misuse of public funds.
A week ago, the Kerala High Court had reserved the petition for orders. Earlier this year, the High Court had issued notice to Dr. Isaac on the basis of the PIL and appointed an amicus curiae to assist it in the PIL.
Vijnana Keralam is a part of Kerala Knowledge Economy Mission (KKEM), an initiative of Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (KDISC) which aims to enhance employment opportunities.
Published – August 25, 2025 01:26 pm IST
