Kerala Maritime Board disbanded over administrative lapses, financial irregularities

Published 8 July 2026 · india

The State government has disbanded the Kerala Maritime Board with immediate effect, citing lapses in the discharge of its administrative duties, failure to fulfil its

The State government has disbanded the Kerala Maritime Board with immediate effect, citing lapses in the discharge of its administrative duties, failure to fulfil its statutory obligations, financial irregularities, and non-compliance with government directives. A gazette notification issued by the State government on July 6 stated that the Kerala Maritime Board, constituted under the Kerala Maritime Board Act, 2017 (Act 16 of 2017), had persistently failed to discharge the duties vested with it. According to the notification, the Board failed to submit its annual administrative reports to the State government for the financial years 2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25.

This prevented the government from fulfilling its statutory obligation under Section 88(2) of the Act to lay the reports before the Legislative Assembly. Further, the audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India on the State economy for the financial year ended March 31, 2023, highlighted serious financial irregularities. These included revenue arrears in grants related to ports, lapses in budget expenditure, under-utilisation of project allocations, expenditure without budgetary allocation, unutilised budget allocations and misappropriation of funds etc. These findings reflected serious financial indiscipline and the Board’s failure to safeguard the financial interests of the State government, the notification said.

Fundamental failure According to the Board’s letter dated June 10, 2026, 13 of the State’s 17 minor ports -- around 76% of the Board’s jurisdiction -- currently lack infrastructure or operations. Consequently, the Board requested the State government to declare these ports ‘non-functional’ under the Indian Ports Act, 2025. The notification described this as a fundamental failure of the Board to fulfil its statutory responsibility for the administration, control, and management of ports under Sections 3 and 23 of the Kerala Maritime Board Act. In addition, the Board has failed to comply with the State government’s instructions regarding the compilation of the State Maritime and Water Transport Plan 2047, and the integration of port services, the notification said.

With the issuance of the gazette notification, the 12-member Kerala Maritime Board, including six e officio members, headed by Chairman N.S. Pillai, has been dissolved. The State government is expected to constitute a new Board soon to ensure the continued functioning of the maritime administration.