Bulk messages from CMO: Kerala HC summons IT Mission official

Kochi: High court has directed the concerned officer of the Kerala State IT Mission (KSITM) to appear on Thursday to clarify how the data of govt employees from the Service and Payroll Administrative Repository for Kerala (SPARK) software was accessed and used to send bulk messages on behalf of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).The bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas issued the directive while hearing a petition by P Rasheed Ahamed, associate professor at KTM College, Malappuram, and K M Anil Kumar, an employee of general administration department, Thiruvananthapuram. The petition challenges CMO's bulk messaging campaign aimed at govt employees ahead of the assembly elections.During hearing, HC orally questioned whether the data maintained in SPARK could be handed over to IT Mission or any other department for sending messages to the govt employees. Advocate general K Gopalakrishna Kurup clarified that SPARK is an integrated unified system for managing all human resource-related matters and is not meant solely for use by the finance department. The finance department uses the system only for remitting salaries and other benefits to employees' accounts and handling related financial matters. Issues such as leave allowances and other service-related matters are managed by the personnel and administration department using the same data.The advocate general further stated that the impugned messages challenged by the petitioners were sent by CMO through a technological platform managed and operated by KSITM. He submitted that there was nothing illegal in sending such messages and denied allegations of privacy intrusion or improper handling of the database.‘Thank you' messagesHC adjourned to Thursday the interlocutory application (IA) filed by the state govt seeking permission to send thanksgiving messages to those who contributed to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) towards the construction of the Wayanad township to rehabilitate the victims of the July 30, 2024, landslides.