Authorised ₹36.50 Crores To Clear Victim Compensation Arrears, ₹12.26 Crores Towards Arrears In Mediator Fees: State Tells Kerala High Court

The Additional Chief Secretary of Kerala's Finance Department has filed an affidavit before the High Court stating that the department has authorised an amount of ₹36.50 Crores for clearing the arrears of victim compensation and ₹12.26 Crores towards settlement of arrears of mediator fees.Last week, the Court had remarked that it would pass orders to attach the Treasury accounts of the...

Kerala High Court Directs State To Operationalise Five New NDPS Courts Within 3 Months, Request Centre For Financial Assistance In A Week

The Kerala High Court recently directed the State government to operationalise five new NDPS Special Courts in the State within 3 months and to appoint permanent staff in these courts to ensure long-term accountability and institutional loyalty.The Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice C. Jayachandran, while considering a suo motu petition initiated to curb drug menace in...

Knanaya Community's Endogamy Not Essential Religious Practice, Excommunicating Members Marrying Outsiders Violates Rights: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court on Monday (March 23) held that the practice of endogamy among the Knanaya Christians is not an essential religious practice and excommunicating members for marrying outsiders violates their fundamental rights under Articles 21 and 25 of the Constitution of India.Justice Easwaran S. dismissed the appeals filed by the Archeparchy of Kottayam and the Knanaya Catholic...

Statutory Confidentiality Under POSH Act Doesn't Bar Supply Of Documents To Accused Employee Facing Disciplinary Action: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has held that statutory confidentiality provisions under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) cannot be invoked to deny an accused employee access to relevant documents in disciplinary proceedings.Justice N. Nagareesh, delivered the judgment. The present petition was filed seeking to quash the...

Motor Accidents Claims | Widow Entitled To Compensation For Loss Of Dependency Even If Employed Or Remarried: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently clarified that a widow is not disentitled to compensation under the head of loss of dependency for the reason that she is employed or remarried subsequent to her husband's death in a motor accident.Justice Sobha Annamma Eapen held:“The material date for deciding the compensation is the date of accident/death. Any subsequent act cannot deprive her...

Courts Can't Order State To Take Over Churches Involved In Religious Disputes: Kerala High Court Sets Aside Takeover Of Six Churches

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (March 24) allowed the appeals filed challenging a 2024 order of the Single Judge directing the Collectors of Ernakulam and Palakkad districts to take over possession of six churches involved in the Orthodox – Jacobite faction feud.The Division Bench of Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S. pronounced the order in open court:"In a...

Kerala High Court Directs Centre To Decide On Plea Alleging Misuse Of 'Reporter TV' Broadcasting License Within 2 Months

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (24 March) directed the Central Government to take a time-bound decision on a representation alleging violations of the Union Government's Broadcasting guidelines in the operation of Malayalam news channel 'Reporter TV'.Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas disposed of the petition. The petitioner, who is the president of the political party Twenty20, had approached...

'Bar Is Best Judge Of Judges': Kerala High Court Refrains From Acting Against Lawyer Over Allegations On Judge, Asks Bar Body To Decide

The Kerala High Court recently (January 21) passed an order asking the Kerala High Court Bar Association and the Bar Council of Kerala to decide whether the action of an advocate, who made baseless allegations against a sitting judge, would amount to professional misconduct. Justice C. Pratheep Kumar passed the order in a Criminal Revision Petition filed by a husband challenging the order of...

Kerala High Court Grants Relief To Law Students Barred From Writing Exam Due To Low Attendance, Says College Failed To Conduct Minimum Classes

The Kerala High Court recently extended a helping hand to a few law students of St. Dominic's College of Law, after they were barred from writing their examinations due to attendance shortage.Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas remarked that the college failed to conduct requisite number of classes and if it had the minimum number of hours, the students could have made up for the shortage in...

Kerala High Court Calls For 'Child-Centric' Custody Approach, Urges Parents To Rise Above Conflict

The Kerala High Court has recently underscored the urgent need to shift from a parent-centric to a child-centric approach in custody disputes, highlighting the severe emotional toll such litigation imposes on children.A Division Bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M.B. Snehalatha made the observation while considering a habeas corpus petition filed by a mother alleging...

Kerala High Court Stays Judgment Removing Vellappally Natesan As General Secretary Of SNDP Yogam

The Kerala High Court on Monday (March 23) stayed the operation of the judgment ordering removal of Vellappally Natesan and others as directors of Aruvipuram Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP Yogam).The Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. was considering a batch of appeals preferred against the judgment of the Single Judge by which certain directors...

Koodathayi Murder: Kerala High Court Refuses To Stall Release Of Web Series 'Anali'; Directs Accused Jolly Joseph To Avail Statutory Remedy

The Kerala High Court has recently (17 March) declined to restrain the release of the web series “Anali” on the OTT platform JioHotstar. The Court held that the petitioner has an effective alternative statutory remedy under the Information Technology Rules, 2021.Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, disposed of the plea moved by Koodathayi murder accused Jollyamma Joseph @ Jolly against the release...