Archbishop Pamplany Moves Kerala High Court Alleging Trespass And Obstruction Of Religious Activities At St Mary's Basilica In Kochi

Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany has approached the Kerala High Court seeking immediate police intervention to remove alleged trespassers from St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica, Broadway, Ernakulam, citing continued obstruction of religious activities and denial of access to parishioners.

The petitioner is the Vicar of the Major Archbishop of the Ernakulam- Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro Malabar Church. The petitioner alleges that a group led by certain parishioners unlawfully entered and occupied the Basilica on December 10, 2025, preventing priests and devotees from freely accessing the church and conducting religious services.

According to the petitioner, the dispute has its origins in the implementation of the uniform mode of celebration of Holy Qurbana decided by the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church. While the Synod introduced temporary relaxations for the Ernakulam–Angamaly Archdiocese to maintain ecclesiastical peace, a faction opposing the settlement allegedly resorted to protest by forcibly occupying the Basilica.

The petitioner contends that the group locked the church from inside, restricted entry of parishioners, stayed within the premises continuously, and caused damage to church property, including CCTV cameras.

The petitioner further submits that despite multiple complaints submitted to the Station House Officer, the Commissioner of Police, and the Deputy Commissioner of Police, no effective action was taken. Police authorities reportedly stated that they could act only upon directions from the District Collector or the Court, despite the alleged offence being ongoing.

The petition invokes Section 38(1) of the Kerala Police Act, 2011, which mandates police officers to prevent and stop cognizable offences in progress. The petitioner argues that police inaction violates statutory duties as well as constitutional rights under Articles 25 and 26, relating to freedom of religion and management of religious affairs.

The petition also refers to an earlier writ petition filed by the Basilica Administrator seeking police protection, which was later dismissed as not pressed, clarifying that no adjudication on merits had taken place.

The petitioner has prayed to issue a writ of mandamus directing the police authorities to immediately remove the alleged trespassers and restore normal functioning of the Basilica. An interim prayer seeks urgent action pending disposal of the writ petition.

Case Title: Mar Joseph Pamplany v The State of Kerala and Ors.

Case No: WP(C) 2346/ 2026

Counsel for Petitioner: Tony George Kannanthanam, Thomas George, Ebee Antony, Ajith George Koola, Sivashankar Panicker