Ombudsman backlog grows; 1,657 complaints await action in Kerala

KOCHI: The Ombudsman in Kerala has 1,657 complaints waiting to be addressed. Out of these, 1,598 complaints were already pending when Retired Justice P.D. Rajan took over the role on September 6, 2024.

Between October 30, 2024, and January 31, 2025, the Ombudsman received 286 new complaints, and 59 of these remain unresolved. In total, he has resolved 347 complaints since taking charge.

The highest number of pending complaints come from Thiruvananthapuram district, with 488 cases, while Wayanad district has the least, at 26 cases. This data was shared through an RTI reply received by Raju Vazhakala, an activist from Kakkanad.

The Ombudsman investigates complaints about corruption, bad practices, and irregularities in local government offices. Citizens can file complaints in person or by post at the Ombudsman’s office. The Ombudsman also holds sessions in Thiruvananthapuram and at district headquarters in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, and Kannur.

District-wise pending complaints and cases resolved through Adalat (in brackets):

Thiruvananthapuram - 488 (105)

Kollam - 125 (61)

Pathanamthitta - 59 (25)

Alappuzha - 77 (22)

Kottayam - 75 (14)

Idukki - 49 (13)

Ernakulam - 265 (46)

Thrissur - 144 (0)

Palakkad - 60 (22)

Malappuram - 115 (0)

Kozhikode - 104 (0)

Wayanad - 26 (0)

Kannur - 42 (21)

Kasaragod - 28 (0)