Kerala High Court Closes Plea For Verification Of Migrant Workers, Says It Is For Govt To Decide

The Kerala High Court disposed of a Writ Petition seeking a direction to the government to verify the identity, criminal antecedents and other details of migrant workers arriving in the State. In the petition, it was alleged that most of the migrant workers coming into Kerala have criminal antecedents and have fabricated identity cards.While considering the matter on Friday (May 30), the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji questioned the petitioner about the source of the information and the data that he is relying on. The counsel for the petitioner stated that reliance is placed on the newspaper reports and a letter written by the petitioner, which are annexed in the writ petition.Noting the reply, the Court directed the State Government to look into the matter. It observed: “This petition is filed based on a letter written by the Petitioner and a newspaper report. The appropriate course of action would be to place the petition before the concerned Secretary of the State Government as it is for the concerned Secretary to look into the matter and take necessary steps as deemed appropriate.”An oral direction was also given to the Government Pleader for the case to be listed before the Secretary of the department concerned.BackgroundA plea was moved last year before the Court, stating that a large number of migrant workers, especially from Bengal arrive in Kerala under the guise of seeking employment. The plea alleges that migrant workers are involved in most of the criminal cases registered in the State. Relying upon news reports, the plea argued that there are around 2.5 lakhs of unregistered migrant workers. It is also alleged that migrant workers are involved in the circulation of counterfeit notes in the State. The plea thus states that the State Government has no method of tracking these migrant workers.The plea said: “Steps should be initiated to identify the correct details of migrant workers, find out those with fabricated identity cards and also trace out these workers with criminal antecedents and those who have not been registered.”The previous Bench hearing the matter had passed an order in the earlier posting directing the Government Pleader to get instructions from the Local Self Government Department whether they have device or mechanism to find out number of occupants of the residential building where the migrant workers find shelter or residence, while they are in Kerala.Case No: WP(C) No. 25674 of 2024Case Title: TGN Kumar v. State of KeralaCitation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 305Counsel for the petitioner: Shaji Chirayath, Jiji M. Varkey, M.K. Safeela Beevi, Savitha Ganapathiyatan, M.M. ShajahanCounsel for the respondent: N. Manoj Kumar, State Attorney and Special GP K.R. RanjithClick to Read/Download Order

Kerala High Court Closes Plea For Verification Of Migrant Workers, Says It Is For Govt To Decide

K. Salma Jennath

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