Victim Appeals Against Acquittal Can Be Summarily Dismissed If Victim Has No Prima Facie Arguable Case: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently held that a victim's appeal against acquittal under Section 413 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita can be summarily dismissed when there is no prima facie material to show that victim has an arguable case.The Division Bench of Dr. Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Jobin Sebastian observed that the provision for summary dismissal of appeals provided under Section 425 would also apply to the appeals under Section 413.The Bench made the observation...

Challenge To Assignment Of Kerala University Land To AKG Centre Must Be Heard As PIL: Kerala High Court

A former employee of the Kerala University moved the High Court on Tuesday (January 7) challenging the assignment of the University's land to AKG Centre for Research and Studies.The plea before the Court was preferred by the former Joint Registrar of the University, and who later on become a member of the syndicate of Kerala University and the Cochin University of Science and Technology.According to him, the erstwhile Maharaja of Travancore had, in 1944, vested certain properties in the...

Arbitrarily Denying Convict Emergency Leave To Attend Brother's Son's Marriage Violates Articles 14 & 15: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently held that there cannot be any discrimination between the children of the brother and those of the sister of a convict while granting emergency leave to attend their marriage.Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath noted that almost all the Jail Superintendents in the State have been rejecting applications for emergency leaves of convicts to attend their brother's children's marriage.The plea before the Court was filed by the nephew of a convict undergoing life imprisonment...

Kerala High Court To Hear Defacto Complainant In MLA Rahul Mamkootathil's Plea For Anticipatory Bail In Rape Case

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (January 7) allowed the impleading petition filed by the de facto complainant in the anticipatory bail plea of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in the rape and miscarriage case alleged against him.Justice A. Badharudeen allowed the de facto complainant's petition and extended the interim protection granted to Mamkootathil. The case is posted to January 21 for consideration.Mamkootathil is arrayed as the 1st accused in a crime registered by the Nemom Police...

Composition Of Ashtamudi Wetland Management Unit Drawn From Existing Officials, No Need To Create New Posts: Kerala High Court Clarifies

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (07 January) clarified that the constitution of the Management Unit for Conservation of Ashtamudi Wetland directed by an earlier order does not require the creation of new posts.The division bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Syam Kumar V M was considering a contempt petition for non-compliance of its judgement dated July, 2025. The Court had previously directed the Secretary of the State Wetland Authority to be present during the proceedings, if...

CJI Surya Kant Inaugurates First Fully Paperless District Judiciary At Kerala's Wayanad, Says It 'Democratises' Access To Justice

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Tuesday (January 6) virtually inaugurated the implementation of paperless courts in the judicial district of Kalpetta in Wayanad at the Kerala High Court Auditorium.This marks the first instance in which an entire district judiciary has become fully paperless in end-to-end functioning. All filings would be received electronically, scrutinised digitally...

Writ Jurisdiction Cannot Be Invoked To Claim One Time Settlement Benefits: Kerala High Court Reiterates

The Kerala High Court has reiterated that borrowers cannot invoke writ jurisdiction to compel banks or financial institutions to extend the benefit of a One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme. A division bench of Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S dismissed a writ appeal filed by borrowers and upheld the decision of a single judge refusing to interfere with recovery proceedings initiated by a co-operative bank. The bench agreed with the single judge's view that OTS schemes are...

Kerala High Court Seeks Clarification From NHAI On Mobile App To Address Highway Maintenance Issues

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (06 January) has sought clarification from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) regarding the new feature in the mobile application 'Rajmargyatra' developed to address shortfalls in maintaining road standards prescribed by the Indian Road Congress (IRC).The division bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Syam Kumar V M were...

Judges Of Constitutional Courts Not Liable Under Section 16 Contempt Of Courts Act: Kerala High Court

In a recent judgment, the Kerala High Court dismissed a plea challenging Sections 2(c) (i), 14, 16 and 17(5) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.The Division Bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S. Manu also refused to declare that Section 16 was applicable to judges of the superior courts, and that Section 17(5) has to be read along with the constitutional guarantee of right...

Legal Education Committee To Examine Compliance Report, Past Fee Payments By GLC Kozhikode For BCI Affiliation: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court was on Tuesday (January 06) informed by the Bar Council of India (BCI) that its Legal Education Committee will convene a meeting in 10 days to decide whether the compliance report submitted by the Government Law College, Kozhikode can be accepted for its affiliation.The standing counsel for the BCI submitted before Justice V.G. Arun that the compliance report has...

Kerala High Court Raps State For Failure To Constitute Wetland Management Unit For Conservation Of Ashtamudi Wetland, Warns Of Contempt

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (06 January) expressed its displeasure over the State's failure to constitute a Management Unit for the conservation of Ashtamudi Wetland.The division bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Syam Kumar V M was considering a contempt petition by Advocate Boris Paul, former President of the Kollam Bar Association stating that the State has...

Divorced Muslim Woman Can Seek Maintenance U/S 125 CrPC Even After Receiving Payment Under 1986 Act: Kerala High Court

Relying on Mohd. Abdul Samad v. State of Telangana, the Kerala High Court recently held that a divorced Muslim woman can invoke Section 125 Cr.P.C. or Section 144 BNSS to claim maintenance from former husband even if he had discharged his obligations under Section 3 of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986.Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath observed that when a Muslim...