Kerala High Court: While considering a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging that vehicles operated under the Priyadarshini Bus Scheme were involved in accidents owing to overcrowding, the Division Bench comprising Soumen Sen*, CJ, and Syam Kumar V.M., J., held that the allegation was not corroborated by any document and that no material had been produced to substantiate the assertion that the accidents occurred on account of overcrowding. Consequently, the Court dismissed the PIL but observed that the Government must ensure that the safety of passengers travelling in the buses is adequately safeguarded.
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A PIL was instituted in relation to the Priyadarshini Bus Scheme introduced by the Government of Kerala to provide free travel facilities to women. The petitioners alleged that the buses operated under the scheme were overcrowded and that, owing to such overcrowding, the vehicles had met with accidents.
The Court observed at the outset that the writ petition was “a speculative litigation intended to derail the Priyadarshini Bus Scheme introduced by the Government of Kerala to provide free travel facilities to women”. The Court highlighted that the petitioners’ allegation was not corroborated by any document and observed that there was no material whatsoever to substantiate the allegation that the bus accident occurred on account of overcrowding.
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Accordingly, the Court dismissed the writ petition. However, the Court directed that the Government must ensure that the safety of passengers travelling in the buses is adequately safeguarded.
[Akhila P.R. v. State of Kerala, 2026 SCC OnLine Ker 12388, decided on 18-8-2026]
Judgment authored by: Chief Justice Soumen Sen
Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the Petitioners: P. Mohandas (Ernakulam), K. Sudhinkumar, Sabu Pullan, R. Bhaskara Krishnan, Shyamjith K. Bayju, Dr. K.P. Satheesan (SR.), Advocates.
For the Respondents: O.A. Nuriya, Senior Government Pleader, B.S. Swathi Kumar, Standing Counsel.
