Budget leak: Petition against Thomas Isaac dismissed

Kochi: High Court Thursday dismissed a petition against continuance of T M Thomas Isaac as Finance Minister following the alleged leak of some budget documents in media before it was presented in the assembly.

State BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan had filed a quo warranto (a writ or legal action requiring a person to show by what warrant an office or franchise is held, claimed, or exercised) petition against Isaac, alleging that leak of documents and their publication in media prior to presentation amounted to violation of provisions of official secrets act.

Disallowing the plea, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Navanithi Prasad Singh observed that it is the prerogative of the government to decide which documents are secret.