Kerala HC asks govt to come out with crowdfunding policy

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday expressed concern in the manner in which crowdfunding is taking place in the state and expressed its displeasure against YouTubers who are raising charity money by giving their account numbers.

The court asked the Kerala government to spell out if they had any policy with regards to crowdfunding, and said that 'if they do not have, they should even consider floating one'.
The court made this remark after a parent from Malappurram approached the court to seek its intervention so that his child suffering from a very rare disease gets government treatment.

The court also pointed out that there should be a proper framework for crowdfunding and the government should act as the watchdog 'as it should not be a free for all because the source of the funds that comes and where it goes have all to be proper'.

The court also said that people who donate for charity should not be cheated.

Incidentally, on Monday last week in a matter of a few days, a staggering sum of Rs 18 crore was raised through crowdfunding to treat a one-and-a-half-year-old Kerala kid Muhammed. The child was suffering from a rare disease called spinal muscular atrophy, which causes muscle wasting.

The court pointed out that there are every chances that the kind heartedness of Keralites can be exploited and only the government can through a system prevent any cheating from taking place in this.