In Short:
The Kerala High Court has dismissed a request by Opposition Leader V D Satheesan to cancel contracts for the KFON project and initiate a CBI investigation. The court found no evidence of illegality in the project’s implementation, noting it has already connected over 20,000 government offices and provided free internet to nearly 5,500 low-income families. Satheesan’s claims, based on remarks from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), were deemed premature and the court stated that any audit concerns could be addressed later. KFON aims to enhance Kerala’s digital infrastructure and is run by a consortium of public and private firms.
Kochi High Court Supports Kerala’s KFON Project
Mixed Reactions in the Assembly
In a recent turn of events, the **Kerala High Court** delivered a significant ruling that supports the Left government in the state. On Friday, the court dismissed a petition from the **Leader of Opposition**, **V D Satheesan**, who was seeking to annul the contracts awarded for the **Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON)** project. He also called for a **Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)** probe into the matter, but the court disagreed.
Court’s Observations
The bench, consisting of **Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar** and **Syam Kumar V M**, indicated that the evidence presented did not warrant any preliminary conclusions about illegal activities in the KFON’s implementation. They elaborated, stating, “On the contrary, the prima facie view that emerges… is that the KFON project appears to be well on course towards realisation of its stated objectives.”
Highlighting the progress, they noted that connectivity through the optical fibre network has already been established for over **20,336 government offices**, and **5,484 economically backward families** have received free internet access.
No Need for CBI Investigation
The court maintained that there’s no justification for halting the government’s actions regarding the KFON project or for launching a CBI investigation at this early juncture. They described the allegations presented by Satheesan as “premature” and emphasized that the challenge to the contract awarded to the **BEL consortium** was “hopelessly belated.”
Allegations and Background
In his plea, **Satheesan** sought to invalidate the project contract and initiate a CBI inquiry due to concerns raised by the **Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)** regarding the legality and propriety of the awarded contract. The controversy centered on the contract’s value of **Rs 1,628.35 crore**, which was more than **50%** above the **Rs 1,028 crore** authorized by the state government back in **2017**.
However, the court dismissed these claims by stating that “views taken by the CAG… remain only a viewpoint and cannot be accepted as decisive.” They further confirmed that no formal CAG report had been issued yet, and any future findings could be reviewed by the legislature or the Public Accounts Committee.
The KFON Vision
The KFON project is an ambitious initiative aimed at enhancing digital infrastructure in the state, reinforcing **Kerala’s** position as the first state to declare internet access a fundamental right for its citizens. Spearheaded by a consortium of public sector enterprises, including **Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)** and **Railtel**, along with private players, the project is altering the landscape of internet accessibility.
Launched in **2019**, the KFON aims to establish a core optical fibre network that connects over **30,000 government institutions** and provides free internet to **20 lakh economically backward families** while offering subsidized internet to others using its infrastructure.
