Nominal Index [Citations: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 100 - 113]Nisha V. Nair v. State of Kerala and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 100Suo Motu v State of Kerala, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 101Pankaj Kumar v. The Station House Officer and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 102M/S. Kosamattam Finance Ltd. v. Deputy Labour Commissioner and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 103State of Kerala and Ors. Kurien E Kalathil and connected...
Nominal Index [Citations: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 100 - 113]
Nisha V. Nair v. State of Kerala and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 100
Suo Motu v State of Kerala, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 101
Pankaj Kumar v. The Station House Officer and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 102
M/S. Kosamattam Finance Ltd. v. Deputy Labour Commissioner and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 103
State of Kerala and Ors. Kurien E Kalathil and connected cases, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 104
Nishad and Anr. v. Mumthaz Beegum and connected cases, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 105
M K Suresh Kumar and Anr v The Union of Indian and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 106
Mubas M.H. v. State of Kerala and Ors. and Aloshious Xavier v. State of Kerala and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 107
Greevas Job Panakkal v Traco Cable Company Ltd. and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 108
Vijayan and Anr. v Appukutta, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 109
Shameem v. State of Kerala and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 110
Lucy Kuriakose and Anr. v State of Kerala and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 111
Balachandran v Sajan Mathew and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 112
I Bindhu v Thiruvanathanpuram Service Co-Operative Bank and Anr, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 113
Judgments/ Orders This Week
Case Title: Nisha V. Nair v. State of Kerala and Ors.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 100
The Kerala High Court has clarified that a Special Court considering a protest complaint alleging offences under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act must pass a reasoned order after verifying the refer report filed by the Investigating Officer so as to either accept or reject the same.
Justice A. Badharudeen was considering an appeal challenging the Special Court's order taking cognizance of the offences punishable under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the SC/STAct.
Case Title: Suo Motu v State of Kerala
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 101
The Kerala High Court on Friday (13 February) ordered that no writ petition or similar plea seeking defreezing of bank accounts shall be entertained unless the Station House Officer (SHO) concerned is made a party respondent.
The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M, passed the order in a suo motu Judicial Practice and Procedure proceeding initiated by the High Court.
Case Title: Pankaj Kumar v. The Station House Officer and Anr.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 102
The Kerala High Court recently held that an accused arrested and released on transit bail cannot prefer an anticipatory bail plea, and he is only allowed to prefer a regular bail application before the jurisdiction court.
Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath dismissed a pre-arrest bail application of a Kashmiri man, who is arrayed as an accused in a crime registered by the Cyber Crime Police Station, Thiruvananthapuram.
Case Title: M/S. Kosamattam Finance Ltd. v. Deputy Labour Commissioner and Anr.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 103
The Kerala High Court recently held that high courts can exercise power under Article 226 of the Constitution to set aside the order passed by the Controlling Authority granting gratuity without jurisdiction, even if the claim for gratuity was not objected to by the employer.
Justice Gopinath P. was considering a writ petition preferred by Kosamattam Finance Ltd. seeking to set aside the order passed by the 1st respondent Controlling Authority appointed by the State government determining gratuity of its former employee, the 2nd respondent.
Challenge To Vested Forest Notification Filed After 14 Years Barred By Limitation: Kerala High Court
Case Title: State of Kerala and Ors. Kurien E Kalathil and connected cases
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 104
The Kerala High Court has held that a challenge to a vesting notification under the Kerala Private Forests (Vesting and Assignment) Act, 1971, filed 14 years after publication, was barred by limitation.
The Division Bench of Justice Sathish Ninan and Justice P Krishna Kumar delivered the judgment in a batch of appeals arising from proceedings before the Forest Tribunal relating to approximately 873 acres of land originally owned by Ponmudi Holdings Ltd.
Case Title: Nishad and Anr. v. Mumthaz Beegum and connected cases
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 105
The Kerala High Court recently dismissed a husband's appeal against a Family Court's order asking him to return 40 sovereigns of his wife's gold ornaments after disbelieving his version that the gold included those purchased by him.
The Division Bench of Justice Sathish Ninan and Justice P. Krishna Kumar remarked that in a lot of cases, a woman does not always have custody of all of her gold ornaments after marriage since it is entrusted to the husband or his close relatives.
Case Title: M K Suresh Kumar and Anr v The Union of Indian and Anr.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 106
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (17 February) dismissed the petition challenging a Central Government notification that permits Labour Courts and Industrial Tribunals constituted under the repealed Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 to continue adjudicating cases even after the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 came into force.
Justice Gopinath P delivered the judgment.
Case Title: Mubas M.H. v. State of Kerala and Ors. and Aloshious Xavier v. State of Kerala and Ors.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 107
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday allowed the public interest litigation challenging the State government's 'Nava Kerala Citizens Response Programme' which commenced on January 01.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. passed the verdict.
Case Title: Greevas Job Panakkal v Traco Cable Company Ltd. and Ors.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 108
The Kerala High Court has held that an employer cannot refuse to accept an employee's resignation citing financial constraint and that compelling an employee to continue in service against his will would amount to bonded labour prohibited under Article 23 of the Constitution.
Justice N Nagareesh delivered the judgment in two writ petitions filed by the Company Secretary of Traco Cable Company Limited, a State Public Sector Undertaking.
Case Title: Vijayan and Anr. v Appukutta
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 109
The Kerala High Court has held that a husband convicted for dowry death cannot inherit his deceased wife's property, even though the Indian Succession Act, 1925 contains no express statutory disqualification akin to Section 25 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956.
Justice Easwaran S was delivering the judgment in a Regular Second Appeal.
Case Title: Shameem v. State of Kerala and Anr.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 110
The Kerala High Court recently denied bail to an NDPS accused on finding that there is prima facie material to connect him to the offence and that the mandatory requirement of communication of grounds of arrest to relative was substantial complied with.
Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath noted that as per the remand report, the accused's relative was asked to appear before the arresting officer over phone but since he was not willing, a Whatsapp message was sent informing about the grounds of arrest. This, the judge felt, amounted to sufficient compliance of the statutory mandate.
Case Title: Lucy Kuriakose and Anr. v State of Kerala and Anr.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 111
The Kerala High Court has held that grant of loans by a co-operative bank to persons residing outside its service area does not, by itself, constitute criminal misconduct or misappropriation in the absence of pecuniary loss or wrongful gain.
Justice A Badharudeen made the observation while allowing a criminal miscellaneous petition seeking quashment of a final report before the Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, Kottayam.
Case Title: Balachandran v Sajan Mathew and Anr.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 112
The Kerala High Court has held that a single complaint is maintainable for the dishonour of multiple cheques for which consolidated single notice under Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (NI Act) is issued, provided they arise out of the same transaction
Justice G Girish dismissed a petition challenging the maintainability of a prosecution under Section 138 of the NI Act based on four dishonoured cheques covered by a consolidated statutory notice.
Case Title: I Bindhu v Thiruvanathanpuram Service Co-Operative Bank and Anr
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 113
The Kerala High Court has recently held that a Labour Court retain the powers to extend time for compliance with their awards, even after the award becomes enforceable under Section 17A of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
Justice Gopinath P while dismissing a writ petition observed that the Labour Court does not become functus officio merely because 30 days have elapsed from the publication of its award.
Other Important Developments This Week
Suraj Lama Case: Kerala High Court Modifies Order, Directs DIG-Rank Officer To Head SIT
Case Title: Santon Lama v. State of Kerala and Ors.
Case No: WP (Crl) No. 1421/2025
The Kerala High Court on Monday (16 February) modified its interim order directing the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to continue its investigation to document the sequence of events from the time of Suraj Lama's arrival in India until his death.
The Division Bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M B Snehalatha, today modified the order on the request of the government pleader and directed that the SIT must be headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG).
Case Title: M.M. Sanjeev Kumar v. State of Kerala and Ors. and connected case
Case No: WP(PIL) 2/ 2026 and WP(PIL) 7/ 2026
The Excise Commissioner has filed a counter affidavit before the Kerala High Court in the public interest litigation preferred against the liquor naming and branding contest announced.
Case Title: Prof. Dr. K S Anilkumar v Dr. Mohan Kunnummal
Case No: Con.Case(c) 2424/ 2025
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (17 February) ordered the Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University, Dr. Mohan Kunnummel to appear before it in the contempt petition filed for failing to implement University Syndicate's decision reinstating Prof. Dr. K S Anil Kumar as the Registrar.
Justice P V Kunhikrishnan gave the directions.
Case Title: Abdal Rahim H. v. Union of India and Ors.
Case No: WP(C) No. 3872/2026
The Regional Officer of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has filed a counter affidavit before the Kerala High Court stating that the Board's Chairperson has referred the movie 'Kaalam Paranja Kadha' to its Revising Committee.
Justice Bechu Kurian was considering a plea challenging the release of the movie filed by the father of the accused person in the Venjaramoodu Mass Murder case alleging that the movie is inspired by the case and its release would affect the impending trial.
Case Title: Dr. Chandrasekharan P V and Ors. v Union of India and Ors.
Case No: WP(PIL) 35/ 2026
The Kerala High Court has recently (12 February) directed the Union and the State Government to disclose the steps taken by them pursuant to the recommendations of the Gadgil Committee Report and or the Kasthurirangan Committee Report.
The division bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M issued the direction while considering a public interest litigation seeking a moratorium on all large scale constructions and quarrying in areas previously identified as ESZ (Ecologically Sensitive Zone)-I by the Gadgil Committee until the final disposal of the petition.
Case Title: Suo Motu v. State of Kerala and Ors.
Case No: WP(Crl.) No. 867 of 2024
The Kerala High Court on Friday (February 13) issued detailed directions for ensuring that e-Prison portal is completed and made operational in a time-bound manner.
The Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar was considering a suo motu petition initiated pursuant to a 2023 order of the Supreme Court, which had issued guidelines on the issue of undertrial prisoners, who continued to be jailed even though they were granted bail since they were unable to comply with the bail conditions. Following this, the High Court had been consistently passing orders to ensure that the e-prison dashboard functions in a streamlined manner, containing all data required for the effective administration of prisons.
Case Title: Kerala State Legal Services Authorities v. State of Kerala and Ors.
Case No: W.P.(C) No.16773 of 2020
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (February 17) sought the State government's stand regarding creation of more posts of scientific officers in the Forensic Science Laboratories (FSL) as recommended by the State Police Chief.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice C. Jayachandran was considering a plea preferred by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) outlining among others, the issue of high pendency of NDPS trials due to lack of sufficient scientific officers in the FSL labs.
Case Title: The High Court Legal Aid Committee v. State of Kerala and Ors.
Case No: IA No. 2 of 2026 in O.P. No. 16667 of 1996
The Kerala High Court on Monday (February 16) directed the Director of Health Services to conduct a safety of the mental health centres in the State after being informed of an incident in Thrissur in which a Nepali native escaped from the Mental Health Centre and attacked three persons after entering into their houses at night.
The Division Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M.B. Snehalatha was considering an interim application filed by Advocate V. Ramkumar Nambiar, amicus curae in an ongoing public interest litigation initiated in 1996 following the Apex Court's direction in Sheela Barse v. Union of India.
Kerala High Court Orders Standardised Framework For Prasad Sales In Sabarimala Temple
Case Title: Suo Motu v State of Kerala and Ors.
Case No: SSCR 3/ 2026
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (18 February) has ordered a Standardised framework for Prasadam sales in Sabarimala Temple.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar passed the order in a suo motu proceedings on the basis of a report submitted by the Sabarimala Special Commissioner regarding misappropriation at the Ghee Sale Counter at Sannidhanam.
Case Title: Sreedev Namboodiri v Union of India and Ors.
Case No: WP(C) 6574/ 2026
The Kerala High Court on Thursday (19 February) issued notice to the producers of the Hindi feature film titled 'Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond' in a writ petition challenging the certification granted to the movie.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas issued the notice.
Case Title: Suo Motu v. State of Kerala and Ors.
Case No: WP(C) No. 40608 of 2025
The Kerala High Court on Thursday (19 February) ordered Advanced Metallurgical test of the gold samples from the Sabarimala Temple in the ongoing investigation into the misappropriation of gold.
The direction was issued by a Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar which is considering suo motu proceedings into the Sabarimala gold theft case.
Advocate Moves Kerala High Court Challenging 'No Vehicle Wednesdays' In Lakshadweep
Case Title: Ajmal Khan C P v Union Territory of Lakshadweep
Case No: WP(C) 6681/ 2026 (Filing No)
An advocate practicing in Lakshadweep and Ernakulam has approached the Kerala High Court challenging a recent order of the Lakshadweep Administration declaring every Wednesday as a “No Vehicle Day” across the Union Territory.