The Kerala High Court has upheld the UDF government’s Priyadarshini Scheme, which offers free travel for women and transgender individuals on ordinary KSRTC buses. On 22 June 2026, the court dismissed a petition that challenged the legality of this initiative, affirming the government’s discretion to implement such a policy aimed at assisting working-class women.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar VM found no substantial grounds for intervening with the government’s decision. The judges noted that the policy aligned with statutory provisions and did not contravene any established legal frameworks.

Details of the Legal Challenge

The petition was filed by Muhammed Firdouz, who identified as a public-spirited citizen and taxpayer. He contended that the scheme discriminated against certain groups and contravened Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution of India, which ensure equality before the law and prohibit discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.

Firdouz argued that the scheme granted free travel without imposing income ceilings or residency requirements, nor did it identify specific disadvantages necessitating such an initiative. He claimed that this lack of structure rendered the project unjust and untenable.

Furthermore, he estimated that the financial burden of the scheme would amount to approximately Rs 2 crore each day, leading to an annual expenditure close to Rs 800 crore. The petitioner expressed concerns regarding the procedural aspects of how the policy was approved and the speed of its implementation.

Government’s Defence of the Scheme

In response to the petition, the state government presented its defence, highlighting that similar initiatives have been successfully adopted in several other states, including Delhi, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and West Bengal. The government maintained that these existing schemes provided a framework supporting the need for the Priyadarshini scheme.

The court, after thorough consideration of the arguments from both sides, ultimately dismissed the petition, enabling the government to continue with the implementation of the programme without interruption.

The Priyadarshini scheme is fundamental to the UDF’s commitments made during the Assembly election campaign and was operationalised shortly after the government took office. It exemplifies the administration’s efforts to address public transport accessibility for women and transgender individuals in the state.

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