Maternity Leave Is A Right, Cannot Be Clubbed With Regular Leaves To Cancel Candidature: Kerala High Court Grants Relief To NBEMS Trainee

The Kerala High Court recently held that maternity leave is a right and the same cannot be clubbed with the other regular leaves taken by a National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) Trainee to cancel her candidature.Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas was considering a plea preferred by a NBEMS Trainee, who got selected in the NEET Super Specialty Examination (NEET-SS) for a DrNB course after completing her MBBS and MD. While she was doing her course, she had availed maternity leave for...

Kerala High Court Dismisses Journalist MR Ajayan's Review Plea, Upholds ₹40K Cost For Moving Vacation Bench Without Urgency

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (03 February) dismissed a review petition filed by M R Ajayan, a freelance journalist, against an order of the vacation bench, imposing costs which amounted to a total of Rs 40,000.A division bench comprising Dr Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Jobin Sebastian dismissed the review petition challenging an interim order of the Vacation bench of the Court, which found Ajayan had filed Section 8 interlocutory applications before it, without any...

Quantity Of Contraband Seized In NDPS Cases Must Be Specified For Effective Communication Of Grounds Of Arrest: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has reiterated that the quantity of contraband seized as per the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) has to be specified for an effective communication of grounds of arrest to an accused.Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath relied on various precedents laid down by the Apex Court, including Pankaj Bansal v. Union of India and Others, Prabir Purkayastha...

'How Is Fair Trial Affected By A Movie?': Kerala High Court Questions Plea To Stall Film Allegedly Inspired By Venjaramoodu Mass Murder

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (February 3) questioned the plea preferred by the father of the accused in the Venjaramoodu Mass Murder case challenging the theatrical release of the Malayalam movie Kaalam Paranja Kadha, which is stated to be inspired by the sensational murder case.When the matter came up for admission, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas expressed his disinclination to prevent...

Kerala High Court Monthly Digest: January 2026 [Citations: 1 - 62]

Nominal Index: [Citations: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 1 - 62]Binu Surendran and Anr. v. V. Vijayakumar and Ors. and connected cases, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 1Praveen@ Poocha Praveen v. State of Kerala, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 2Green Roots Nature Conservation Forum and Anr v. Government of India and Ors. and connected case, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 3Sidharth K. Bhattathiri v. Union Of India, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker)...

Labour Court Cannot Adjudicate Legality Of Closure Under ID Act When Reference Is Confined To Justification Of Retrenchment: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has held that a Labour Court cannot adjudicate on the legality or bona fides of an alleged closure when the reference itself is confined to the justification of retrenchment. Justice Mohammed Nias CP was delivering the judgment in petitions challenging the Labour Court Order which directed the reinstatement of workmen who claimed to have been illegally terminated under...

Deepak Death Case: All Kerala Mens Association President Moves High Court Seeking Independent Probe, Action Against Circulating Viral Video

The President of the All Kerala Men's Association has moved the Kerala High Court seeking an investigation by an independent agency into the suicide of Deepak, who was accused of sexual harassment inside a bus by Shimjitha Musthafa in a viral video.Shimjitha had shot a video of Deepak allegedly sexually harassing her in a moving bus in Kannur, and she posted the same on social media. The...

Kerala High Court Closes Suo Motu Case On Sale Of Chemical Kumkum At Sabarimala

The Kerala High Court has closed the suo motu proceedings initiated regarding the issue concerning the sale of chemical kumkum in Sabarimala Temple.A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar was considering a report submitted by the Sabarimala Special Commissioner on measures taken to ensure adequate amenities for pilgrims during the peak...

Plea In Kerala High Court Challenges Release Of Movie Stated To Be Inspired By Venjaramoodu Mass Murder Case

A plea has been moved before the Kerala High Court by the father of the accused in the Venjaramoodu Mass Murder case challenging the theatrical release of the Malayalam movie Kaalam Paranja Kadha, which is stated to be inspired by the case.The Venjaramoodu Mass Murder case relates to the alleged murder of five relatives of Afan and the attempted murder of his mother. Afan is arrayed as the...

Kerala High Court Weekly Round-Up : January 26 - February 01, 2026

Nominal Index [Citations: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 49 - 62]Kerala High Court Gazetted Officers' Association v. State of Kerala and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 49XX v Union Territory of Lakshadweep and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 50Balu Gopalakrishnan v State of Kerala and Ors. and connected matters, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 51Safwan Adhur v. State of Kerala, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 52Shyjal C. v. State of Kerala,...

Quasi-Judicial Authority Can't Challenge Order Setting Aside Its Own Decision: Kerala High Court Rejects Admission Supervisory Committee's Appeal

The Kerala High Court has held that the Admission Supervisory Committee for Medical Education in Kerala, being a statutory body exercising adjudicatory functions under the Kerala Medical Education (Regulation and Control of Admission to Private Medical Educational Institutions) Act, 2017, cannot be treated as an “aggrieved person” entitled to maintain a writ appeal against a judgment...

'Desertion' Under Divorce Act Means Desertion Without Reasonable Cause: Kerala High Court Denies Past Maintenance To Deserting Spouse

The Kerala High Court has held that the expression “desertion” under Section 10 of the Divorce Act, 1869 must be understood as desertion without reasonable cause, despite the absence of an express statutory qualifier.The Division Bench comprising Justice Sathish Ninan and Justice P Krishna Kumar were disposing of matrimonial appeals arising from a common judgment of the Family...