Kerala High Court Orders Status Quo On State's Nomination For SNDP Yogam Directors After Vellappally Natesan & Others Challenge Disqualification

The Kerala High Court on Thursday (March 19) ordered that status quo be maintained with respect to the nomination of directors for the Aruvipuram Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP Yogam).

The interim order was passed by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. while considering a batch of appeals preferred against the judgment of the Single Judge by which certain directors of the SNDP Yogam, including former General Secretary Vellappally Natesan, were disqualified.

The Single Judge had found that the Natesan and the other office bearers were disqualified to continue as directors or to be re-appointed as per Section 164(2) of the Companies Act, 2013 for failing to file annual returns over consecutive financial years.

When the matters came up, the Court was told that certain appeals against the Single Judge's decision were not listed. The appellants' counsel also submitted that there is real urgency in hearing the matters as there was a direction to the state government to nominate directors to hold office till directors are appointed by the organisation in the general meeting.

Hearing the submission, Justice Sen orally inquired to the State, "Are you nominating by Monday?"

The Court was informed that around 117 directors were disqualified and for maintaining the quorum required to appoint directors, around 34 persons have to nominated, which cannot be done in a short span of time.

"We will keep it on Monday. Because there is no possibility of them being nominated by Monday...As of now, there is no nomination done, as it appears to be so," the Bench orally remarked, taking note of the submission. 

The Court directed that status quo must be maintained till Tuesday (March 24) or until further orders. This means that the State government is not to proceed with the nomination of directors as directed by the Single Bench's order.

It also directed that all connected matters are to be listed together on the next posting date. It passed an interim order:

"as of now it appears that the government has not nominated the directors in terms of the impugned order. We list this matter on Monday along with all connected matters. Status quo as of date shall continue till Tuesday or until further orders..." 

The matters will now be heard on Monday (March 23).

Case No: WA 693/ 2026 and connected cases

Case Title: V.K. Natesan and Ors. v. Dr. K. Reghu Anchayil and connected cases