Kerala High Court Weekly Round-Up : February 16 - February 22, 2026

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 cases, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 104Nishad and Anr. v. Mumthaz Beegum and connected cases, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 105M K Suresh Kumar and Anr v The Union of Indian and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 106Mubas M.H. v. State of Kerala and Ors. and Aloshious Xavier v. State of Kerala and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 107Greevas Job Panakkal v Traco Cable Company Ltd. and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 108Vijayan and Anr. v Appukutta, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 109Shameem v. State of Kerala and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 110Lucy Kuriakose and Anr. v State of Kerala and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 111Balachandran v Sajan Mathew and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 112I Bindhu v Thiruvanathanpuram Service Co-Operative Bank and Anr, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 113Judgments/ Orders This WeekSC/ST Act | Special Court Considering Protest Complaint Must Verify Police Refer Report, Pass Reasoned Order: Kerala High CourtCase Title: Nisha V. Nair v. State of Kerala and Ors.Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 100The 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.Identity Of Petitioner Must Be Verified Through SHO In Bank Account Defreezing Cases: Kerala High CourtCase Title: Suo Motu v State of KeralaCitation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 101The 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.S.482 BNSS | Pre-Arrest Bail Not Maintainable After Arrest, Even If Accused Released On Transit Bail: Kerala High CourtCase Title: Pankaj Kumar v. The Station House Officer and Anr.Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 102The 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.High Court Can Quash Gratuity Orders Passed Without Jurisdiction Even If Employer Did Not Object To Claim: Kerala High CourtCase Title: M/S. Kosamattam Finance Ltd. v. Deputy Labour Commissioner and Anr.Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 103The 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 CourtCase Title: State of Kerala and Ors. Kurien E Kalathil and connected casesCitation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 104The 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.'Common Knowledge That Bride's Gold Is Entrusted With Husband After Marriage': Kerala HC Declines Man's Appeal Against Return Of Wife's GoldCase Title: Nishad and Anr. v. Mumthaz Beegum and connected casesCitation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 105The 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 ...

Kerala High Court Weekly Round-Up : February 16 - February 22, 2026

Anamika MJ

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