Kerala High Court Weekly Round-Up: September 1 - September 7, 2025

Nominal Index [Citations: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 538 - 543]Dr Vinodkumar Jacob v The Vice Chancellor and Anr and Connected Matter, 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 538C.P. Muhammed v. The Geologist and Ors. and connected cases, 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 539Bindhu Kuniparambath v. The Joint Chief Controller of Explosives and Ors., 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 540X v Abraham Mathai and Ors., 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 541Abdul Jabbar v. State of Kerala, 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 542Aparna Nair v State of Kerala, 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 543Judgments/ Orders This WeekKTU Syndicate Meeting Can't Be Continued After Vice-Chancellor Calls It Off, Will Create 'Ridiculous Situations': Kerala High CourtCase Title: Dr Vinodkumar Jacob v The Vice Chancellor and Anr and Connected MatterCitation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 538The Kerala High Court has held that members of the Syndicate of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) cannot continue a meeting once it has been called off by the Vice-Chancellor.Justice T R Ravi passed the order in two writ petitions filed by two Syndicate members challenging the annulment of decisions by the Vice Chancellor which were taken at the 63rd Syndicate meeting of KTU after the VC had declared the meeting as closed.Kerala HC Partly Quashes Centre's 2022 Memo Extending Validity Of Clearance For Mining Projects As Violative Of Environment Protection ActCase Title: C.P. Muhammed v. The Geologist and Ors. and connected casesCitation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 539The Kerala High Court has struck down portions of a 2022 notification and subsequent clarification (Office Memorandum (O.M.)) issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to the extent it gives extension of validity period of Environment Clearance to mining projects.Justice C Jayachandran, in his order observed:“The impugned Ext.P8 notification dated 12.04.2022 –insofar as it is applicable to mines and mining operations as provided in clause 9(iv) - is declared ultra vires the Environment (Protection) Act, the Environment (Protection) Rules, and also, the EIA notification, 2006 and hence struck down as unconstitutional. Ext.P9 Office Memorandum is also declared illegal and ultra vires the Environment (Protection) Act, the Environment (Protection) Rules and the EIA notification, 2006, insofar as it pertains to mines and mining operations. Consequently, the 6th respondent will stand directed, by a writ of mandamus, to take action in accord with law regarding the quarrying operations of the 9th respondent, treating Ext.P20 E.C. to have expired.”Petroleum Outlet Can Be Opened Near College, Siting Criteria Only Bars Vicinity With Schools & Hospitals: Kerala High CourtCase Title: Bindhu Kuniparambath v. The Joint Chief Controller of Explosives and Ors.Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 540The Kerala High Court has recently clarified that colleges do not fall within the ambit of sensitive locations for the purpose of siting criteria for petroleum outlets.Justice S. Manu was considering a challenge to an order passed by the Deputy Chief Controller of Explosives (2nd respondent) rejecting the approval sought by the petitioner to give her property for starting a retail outlet of petroleum products.'Written Complaint Essential For Adjudicating PoSH Cases, Labour Disputes Not Covered Under Act': Kerala High CourtCase Title: X v Abraham Mathai and Ors.Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 541The Kerala High Court has reiterated that proceedings under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) cannot be initiated without a written complaint and that disputes of a purely labour nature do not fall under the Act's framework.A division bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar dismissed a writ appeal, affirming a single bench decision that quashed the finding of the Local Level Committee constituted under the POSH Act, and a subsequent communication from District Collector, Thiruvananthapuram.Creating 'Hostile Environment' For Employee At Work Does Not Fall Under Scope of PoSH Act: Kerala High CourtCase Title: X v Abraham Mathai and Ors.Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 541The Kerala High Court has ruled that allegations of creating a hostile work environment, without any element of sexual conduct or advances, do not amount to “sexual harassment” under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (PoSH Act).A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K.V. Jayakumar made the observation while dismissing a writ appeal challenging a single judge's decision that had quashed the report of a Local Level Committee constituted under PoSH Act and a compliance directive from the Thiruvananthapuram District Collector.Chain Snatching | Recovery Of Stolen Items Not Sufficient For Conviction Without Identification Of Person Who Committed Theft: Kerala High CourtCase Title: Abdul Jabbar v. State of KeralaCitation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 542The Kerala High...

Kerala High Court Weekly Round-Up: September 1 - September 7, 2025

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