Nominal Index [Citations: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 114 - 121]xxx. v. State of Kerala and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 114Sabu Stephen v. State Election Commission, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 115Prasanthan M. v. Kannur Corporation and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 116Satkunam @ Sabesan v. Union of India, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 117Jithusooraj S.K. v. State of Kerala, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 118Basheer Thaliyil v. State of...
Nominal Index [Citations: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 114 - 121]
xxx. v. State of Kerala and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 114
Sabu Stephen v. State Election Commission, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 115
Prasanthan M. v. Kannur Corporation and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 116
Satkunam @ Sabesan v. Union of India, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 117
Jithusooraj S.K. v. State of Kerala, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 118
Basheer Thaliyil v. State of Kerala and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 119
P.B. Satheesh v. Union of India and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 120
M.R. Anagh v. State of Kerala and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 121
Judgments/ Orders This Week
Case Title: xxx. v. State of Kerala and Anr.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 114
The Kerala High Court recently quashed all criminal proceedings initiated against a customer of a brothel after noting that the prosecution does not have a case that he caused or induced prostitution.
Justice C. Pratheep Kumar was considering a plea preferred by a man who was arrayed as 4th accused in a crime alleging commission of the offences under Sections 3(1), 3(2)(a) [Punishment for keeping a brothel or allowing premises to be used as a brothel] of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.
Case Title: Sabu Stephen v. State Election Commission
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 115
The Kerala High Court has recently (19 February) directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to consider and decide complaints alleging deviations from the prescribed statutory form of oath taken by elected representatives of Local Self Government Institutions (LSGIs), within four weeks.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. passed the order while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation alleging that several elected members of Panchayat, Municipalities, and Corporations had violated mandatory statutory provisions while taking their oath of office following the 2025 local body elections.
Case Title: Prasanthan M. v. Kannur Corporation and Ors.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 116
The Kerala High Court recently passed a judgment ordering the stoppage of Kannur Corporation's 60-year-old siren, which was installed in 1965 during the Indo-Pakistan war as a civil defence mechanism.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. was considering a public interest litigation praying to discontinue the operation of the high-intensity siren.
Case Title: Satkunam @ Sabesan v. Union of India
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 117
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (24 February) granted bail to an alleged LTTE Operative who attempted to revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), for the purpose of waging war against Sri Lanka, citing prolonged incarceration and the constitutional right to a speedy trial.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Susrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice P.V. Balakrishnan allowed the Criminal Appeal, setting aside the Special Court's April 22, 2024 order that had rejected the accused's bail plea.
Case Title: Jithusooraj S.K. v. State of Kerala
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 118
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (February 24) denied anticipatory bail to Jithusooraj S.K., part-time shanti and the 31st accused in the crime registered by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Pathanamthitta in relation to the embezzlement of sale proceeds of Adiya Sishtam Ghee in Sabarimala.
Justice A. Badharudeen noted that the FIR was registered on the basis of the Division Bench's order in a suo motu proceeding initiated on the basis of the Sabarimala Special Commissioner's report.
Case Title: Basheer Thaliyil v. State of Kerala and Anr.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 119
The Kerala High Court recently granted bail to a person accused of an offence under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) after noting that the grounds of his arrest was not intimated in writing to his relative and it was done only over phone.
Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath noted that there are prima facie material to connect the accused with the crime but since the mandate of intimation of grounds of arrest in writing to his relative was not complied with, his arrest is vitiated.
Case Title: P.B. Satheesh v. Union of India and Ors.
Case No: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 120
The Kerala High Court has directed the State Government to finalise and implement the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for enforcement against overloading on National Highways.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar issued the directions while disposing of a writ petition which sought implementation of measures to prevent overloading and other safety measures in roads.
Case Title: M.R. Anagh v. State of Kerala and Ors.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 121
The Kerala High Court has held that a Magistrate cannot return a private complaint merely because the complainant has not furnished the postal address of the accused.
Justice C.S. Dias was delivering the judgment in a criminal miscellaneous case.
Other Important Developments This Week
Case No: Crl.M.C. No. 1627/2026
Case Title: Antony Raju v. State of Kerala
Former Member of Legislative Assembly Antony Raju has moved the Kerala High Court seeking to set aside the order of the District and Sessions Court, Thiruvananthapuram that rejected his application to quash his conviction in the Evidence Tampering case.
Raju was arrayed as the second accused in a 2014 crime for having committed the offences under Sections 120B, 420, 201, 193 and 217 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
Case No: WP(PIL) No. 39/2026
Case Title: Angels Nair v. Union of India and Ors.
A public interest litigation has been moved before the Kerala High Court alleging that there are ecological threats in around 1600 acres of forest land in Athirappilly and Kallal estates due to pineapple plantation works undertaken by Plantation Corporation of India.
The petitioner is this case is the Secretary of an NGO named Animal Legal Force Integration. According to him, the plantation carried out by the Corporation is under a contract entered into with the State Forest Department in 1970, but the same expired in the year 2020. Though there was a stop memo and objection issued by the department, the petitioner alleges that plantation of pineapple is still being undertaken.
Case No: Crl.M.A. No. 1 of 2025 in Crl.A. No. 1079 of 2025
Case Title: Rafi and Anr v. State of Kerala
The Kerala High Court recently dismissed the applications for suspension of sentence preferred by Rafi and Riaz @ Johny, two convicts in the 1995 political murder of Sakeer, a member of DYFI, the youth wing of CPI(M).
The Division Bench of Dr. Justice Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Jobin Sebastian remarked that the Sessions Court's judgment considered along with the materials on record, prima facie indicates that the appellants committed the crime.
'We Can't Legislate, Let Govt Decide': Kerala High Court On Use Of 'Dr.' Prefix By Physiotherapists
Case No: WA 437/ 2026 and connected cases
Case Title: Indian Medical Association v. Union of India and connected cases
The Indian Medical Association and the Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IAPMR) have moved an appeal before the Kerala High Court challenging a Single Bench decision permitting physiotherapists and doctors to use the 'Dr.' prefix.
The Division Bench of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice P.V. Balakrishnan on Monday (February 23) orally remarked that it is not up to the Court to make a decision as to whether medical professionals or physiotherapists can use the prefix 'Dr.' and the same has to be decided by the government or the legislature.
Kerala High Court Bars New Construction In Kottooli Wetlands Pending 'Ramsar' Designation
Case Title: Sarovaram Prakrithi Samrakshana Samiti and Ors. v Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change and Ors. and connected matter
Case No : WP(C) 9445/ 2025 and connected matter
The Kerala High Court has recently directed authorities to ensure that no new construction takes place in the ecologically sensitive Kottooli wetlands in Kozhikode, as the process to designate the area as a Ramsar Site gathers momentum.
It has also directed the concerned authorities to expedite the process of designation and complete it within a period of three months.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. passed the interim order while considering a batch of petitions, seeking immediate intervention to stop ongoing construction, land reclamation, and related activities allegedly being carried out in the wetland area.
Case No: WP(C) 7090/2026
Case Title: Dr. Rasheed Ahammed P. and Anr. v. State of Kerala and Ors.
A plea has been moved before the Kerala High Court alleging that the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) has violated the privacy of government employees by illegally accessing their personal information, including mobile phone numbers, email IDs.
The plea has been moved by an employee of State's Department of General Administration along with an Associate Professor of KTM College, Malappuram who is also an elected member of the Syndicate of the University of Calicut.
Case Title: Ajmal Khan C P v Union Territory of Lakshadweep
Case No: WP(C) 6898/ 2026
The Counsel for Lakshadweep Administration on Monday (23 February) informed the Kerala High Court that the order declaring 'No Vehicle Wednesday' will not be implemented till the end of Ramzan.
The submissions were made before Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas while considering the plea challenging the order of the Lakshadweep Administration declaring every Wednesday as a “No Vehicle Day” across the Union Territory.
Case No: WP(C) No. 1603 of 2026
Case Title: Kallettumkara Service Co-Operative Bank Ltd. v. Union of India and Ors.
The Kerala High Court has refused to stay the tender process initiated by the State government in a move to have a centralised Uniform Common Software for all Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).
Justice Gopinath P. was considering a plea preferred by the Managing Committee of PACS, namely Kallettumkara Service Co-Operative Bank Ltd., registered under the Kerala Cooperative Societies (KCS) Act.
Case Nos: WP(C) 6574/ 2026 and WP(C) 6854/2026
Case Titles: Sreedev Namboodiri v. Union of India and Ors. and Freddy V. Francis v. Union of India and Ors.
The Kerala High Court has sought the Centre's stand today itself on whether a screening of the film 'Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond' can be arranged before it decides the pleas challenging its Censor certificate for allegedly depicting the State in a bad light.
On perusing the transcript of certain dialogues from the film, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas orally remarked that while people in the State live in total harmony, the film has portrayed them wrongly.
Case No: WP(C) 7090/2026
Case Title: Dr. Rasheed Ahammed P. and Anr. v. State of Kerala and Ors.
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (February 24) orally remarked that prima facie, there is an intrusion of privacy by the bulk messaging that was sent to government employees and judges through the Whatsapp business account of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas was considering a plea alleging that the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) has violated the privacy of government employees and judges by illegally accessing their mobile phone numbers, email IDs and sending bulk messages as a form of election campaign.
Case Title: State of Kerala Represented by Its Chief Secretary v Ayana Charitable Trust
Case No: WA 278/ 2026
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (24 February) admitted an appeal preferred by the State against the judgment which set aside the government's preliminary notification and other steps taken for acquiring 2570 acres of the land for the Sabarimala Greenfield Project.
The division bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M.B. Snehalatha admitted the appeal and directed the appropriate authority to maintain status quo with respect to the property.
Case Title: Sabu M. Jacob v. Union of India and Ors.
Case No: WP(C) 6889/ 2026
The Kerala High Court on Monday (23 February) issued notice to the Centre on a plea alleging violation of the Union Government's Broadcasting guidelines in the operation of Malayalam news channel 'Reporter TV'.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas issued notice and directed the standing counsel to get instructions in the matter.
Case Title: Kerala High Court Advocates Association (KHCAA) v Suo Motu Proceedings initiated by High Court and Others
Case No: RP 288/ 2026 in JPP 1/ 2026
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (25 February) granted leave to the Kerala High Court Advocates' Association (KHCAA) to file a review petition challenging a recent High Court direction that mandates police verification of petitioners in cases seeking defreezing of bank accounts.
The division bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. allowed the interlocutory application seeking leave/ permission for the Association to file the review.
Case No: WP(C) 6851/2026
Case Title: Tritvam Apartment Owners Association (TAOA) and Anr. v. The District Collector and Ors.
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (February 24) orally remarked that the people in Ernakulam are being harmed with the conversion of areas kept aside for public benefit into commercial spaces, including the proposed construction of 20 kiosks in the Queen's Walkway.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas was considering a plea preferred by the Tritvam Apartment Owners Association and its President, stating that the construction of the kiosks would change the residential character of the area, overburden civic infrastructure and also create traffic congestion, health and safety risks.
'Kerala Doesn't Have Dignity As Such, Dignity Is Of India': Kerala Story 2 Producer To High Court
Case Nos: WP(C) 6574/ 2026 and WP(C) 6854/2026
Case Titles: Sreedev Namboodiri v. Union of India and Ors. and Freddy V. Francis v. Union of India and Ors.
Producer of The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond has objected to the locus standi of the petitioners who have moved pleas before the Kerala High Court challenging the censor certification granted to the film, over alleged defamation of the State.
The senior counsel appearing for the producer submitted before Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas that the pleas are in the nature of public interest and the petitioners do not have any individual grievance. He contended that the pleadings raised by the petitioners are such that they are saying that their dignity is affected because the dignity of Kerala is affected.
Case No: DBP No. 52 of 2025 and connected cases
Case Title: Suo Motu v. State of Kerala and Ors. and connected cases
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (February 25) pulled up the Cochin Devaswom Board for not taking effective steps to carry out the Suchitwa Mission's recommendations to maintain cleanliness in Chottanikkara Temple inspite of having monthly income of ₹2 to ₹4 crores.
It also directed the Board to designate a Nodal Officer and team of officers to implement the same in a time-bound manner
The Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar was considering a suo motu petition based on a complaint alleging corruption, maladministration, absence of basic amenities, misconduct by temple staff, deterioration in quality of offerings to the deity, financial irregularities, etc.
Case No: WP(PIL) 40/ 2026
Case Title: Ajeesh Kalathil Gopi v. State of Kerala and Ors.
The Kerala High Court on Thursday (February 26) directed the State government to ensure that Out-Patient and essential medical services in Government Medical Colleges are not disrupted due to the on-going doctors' strike in the State.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. was considering a public interest litigation seeking a direction to the State to ensure uninterrupted functioning of Out-Patient Departments (OPD) and all essential medical services in Government Medical Colleges in view of the indefinite boycott by the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers' Association (KGMCTA), initiated on February 16.
Case No: OP (Crl.) No. 23/2022
Case Title: P. Gopalakrishnan alias Dileep v. State of Kerala and Ors.
The Kerala High Court has recently (20 February) directed the State to complete the investigation in the FIRs registered pursuant to its order in Malayalam cine actor Dileep's plea against media trial, within two months.
Justice C. Pratheep Kumar issued the direction.
Case Nos: WP(C) 6574/ 2026, WP(C) 6854/2026 and WP(C) 7296/ 2026
Case Titles: Sreedev Namboodiri v. Union of India and Ors., Freddy V. Francis v. Union of India and Ors. and Athul Roy v. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ors.
The Kerala High Court on Thursday (February 26) stayed release of the movie Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond, following pleas challenging its censor certification. The film was slated to hit the theatres tomorrow.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas in his order said, "...the very content in the teaser itself, which is conceded to be part of the movie, has the prima facie potential to distort the public perception and disturb communal harmony...There can be possibility that the State of Kerala, otherwise known for its communal harmony and friendly natives be identified by viewers across the world as a hub of fanatical and communal divide."
Case Nos: WA No. 547/2026 and WA 548/2026
Case Titles: Vipul Amrutlal Shah v. Freddy V. Francis and Ors. and connected case
The Kerala High Court on Thursday heard appeals preferred by the producer of the movie 'Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond' against the interim order of the Single Judge granting stay on the release of the movie, slated to hit the theatres tomorrow.
The Division Bench of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice P.V. Balakrishnan heard the appeals urgently today, at 7:30 p.m., just hours after the Single Bench pronounced the order.
The Supreme Court Collegium, in its meeting held on February 26, 2026, has recommended the appointment of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari, presently a Judge of the Kerala High Court (parent High Court: Madhya Pradesh), as the next Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. The recommendation has been made in view of the impending retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice on March 5, 2026.
The Collegium has also recommended the transfer of Justice Lisa Gill, Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, to the Andhra Pradesh High Court for her appointment as Chief Justice. Her appointment will take effect from the date the vacancy arises.
CMO Bulk Messaging Issue: Kerala Government Assures High Court No Further Messages Till Monday
Case No: WP(C) 7090/2026
Case Title: Dr. Rasheed Ahammed P. and Anr. v. State of Kerala and Ors.
The Kerala government on Friday (February 27) submitted before the High Court that its earlier undertaking to refrain from disseminating bulk messages from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) can continue till Monday (March 2).
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas recorded the submission of the special government pleader while considering a plea alleging that the CMO has violated the privacy of government employees and judges by illegally accessing their mobile phone numbers, email IDs and sending bulk messages as a form of election campaign.
Case Title: Baiju Paul Mathews v State of Kerala and connected case
Case No: WP(C) 7858/ 2025 and connected case
The Kerala High Court on Friday (27 February) criticised the State over the condition of Aralam Farm in Kannur District in light of the death of a person belonging to tribal community in an elephant attack on Friday morning.
A Division Bench comprising Dr. Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Jobin Sebastian were hearing petitions concerning the human- wildlife conflict in Wayanad and Aralam.
Kerala High Court Lifts Stay On Release Of 'The Kerala Story 2' Movie; Stays Single Bench Order
Case Nos: WA No. 547/2026 and WA 548/2026
Case Titles: Vipul Amrutlal Shah v. Freddy V. Francis and Ors. and connected case
The Kerala High Court on Friday (February 27) paved way for release of the movie 'The Kerala Story 2 - Goes Beyond'.
The Division Bench of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice P.V. Balakrishnan stayed a single judge order which had stayed its release scheduled today and posted the case after two weeks.
Case Nos: WA No. 547/2026 and WA 548/2026
Case Titles: Vipul Amrutlal Shah v. Freddy V. Francis and Ors. and connected case
The Kerala High Court on Friday (27 February), while paving way for release of the film 'Kerala Story 2 - Goes Beyond', observed that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) grants certifications after viewing a film in full, and the same cannot be faulted on the basis of few teaser clips.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice P.V. Balakrishnan made the remarks while delivering the order in appeals filed against a single judge's interim order staying release of the movie.
The Kerala Government has approached the High Court challenging a sessions court order acquitting actor Dileep of all charges in the 2017 Actress Assault case.
Apart from Dileep, who is Accused No. 8, the State has also challenged the acquittal of accused Nos. 7 Charly Thomas, 9 Sanilkumar @ Mesthiri Sanil and 15 Sarath G. Nair who are accused of entering into criminal conspiracy to commit the crime.
Case No: SSCR No. 8 of 2026
Case Title: Suo Motu v. State of Kerala and Ors.
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (February 25) expressed its apprehension that the booking system for the Padi Pooja in Sabarimala temple may have been misused by persons using false credentials for selling their bookings at a profit.
The Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar then ordered the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer of the Travancore Devaswom Board to take possession of the registers and records relating to the bookings and to produce the same in a sealed cover.
Kerala High Court Stays Proceedings Against BJP's K Surendran In 2019 Hartal Violence Case
Case No: CrlMC 1651 of 2026
Case Title: K. Surendran v. State of Kerala and Ors.
The Kerala High Court on Monday (February 23) stayed all criminal proceedings initiated against Bharatiya Janata Party leader K. Surendran in relation to a 2019 crime perpetrated during a flash hartal.
Justice C.S. Dias admitted Surendran's plea to quash criminal proceedings against him and issued notice to the parties. The judge then passed an interim order staying further criminal proceedings against Surendran for a period of 4 months.
Case Title: State of Kerala and Ors. v. One Earth One Life
Case No: WP(C) 1801/ 2010
The Kerala High Court has recently (23 February) permitted the State to process applications for assignment of government land to persons who claim occupation, if such occupation is before 1st August, 1971, with limitation and conditions prescribed under the Kerala Land Assignment Rules, 1964 in the Munnar land encroachment case.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S modified an interim order dated 10.01.2024 by partly relaxing the bar it had earlier imposed on the issuance of pattas in Idukki district.