'Courts Must Appoint Guardians For Dementia/Alzheimer's Patients If Circumstances Warrant': Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court, in a recent decision, appointed a guardian for a 93-year-old woman with dementia and Alzheimer's disease while considering her sister's plea under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 565]Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas remarked that courts must appoint guardians for persons with dementia or Alzheimer's disease if the conditions get worse and...

Authorized Govt Officer's Complaint Not Needed When Notary Intentionally Participates In Document Forgery: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently held that an authorized government officer's complaint is not necessary to prosecute a notary, who intentionally participates in document forgery. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 564]Justice A. Badharudeen held that the afore protection provided under Section 13(1) of the Notaries Act would be applicable only when the notary is performing the duties under the statute....

Waqf Tribunal Can Permit Interrogatories Under Order XI CPC: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has held that a Waqf Tribunal possesses the power to permit parties to deliver interrogatories under Order XI of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) as it is deemed as a civil court under Section 83(5) of the Waqf Act, 1995.A Division Bench of Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S. delivered the judgment in appeals filed by the Kerala State Waqf Board challenging the orders of the Waqf Tribunal that allowed the delivery of interrogatories to the State Waqf...

Obscene Words, General Abuse At Woman Not Offence U/S 354A(1)(iv) IPC If No Allegation Of Sexually Coloured Remark: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently held that utterance of general abuse or obscene words at a woman without any specific allegation of a sexually coloured remark would not attract the offence of sexual harassment as per Section 354A(1)(iv) of the Indian Penal Code. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 563]Justice Jobin Sebastian observed:“the mere utterance of obscene words would not, by itself,...

Goshree Islands Development Authority Entitled To Set Up Commercial Kiosks At Kochi's Queen's Walkway: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (October 7) held that the Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA) is entitled to set up commercial kiosks at the Queen's Walkway in Kochi. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 561].The Division Bench of Dr. Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Preeta A.K. set aside an order of the Single Bench, which barred construction of the kiosks citing that the same would affect the legal rights of the pedestrians.The Court perused an additional affidavit filed by GIDA,...

Sabarimala Gold Theft: Kerala High Court Sets Timelines For SIT To Request Prosecution Sanctions In Dwarapalaka, Doorframes Cases

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (October 7) set timelines for the Special Investigation Team to request for prosecution sanction and for submitting final reports in the Sabarimala Gold Theft cases.Time has been granted till October 25 in the Doorframes case. In the Dwarapalaka idols case, the time granted is till November 25.The Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice...

'Undue Fetter' On Right Of Appeal: Kerala High Court Sets Aside Order Requiring 50% Maintenance Deposit For Delay Condonation

The Kerala High Court recently held that courts cannot impose deposit of a percentage of the award amount as condition while considering an application under Section 5 of the Limitation Act to condone delay in preferring an appeal. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 558]Justice Jobin Sebastian opined that such a condition may be justified when the appellate court is considering an application for stay...

Kerala High Court Grants Relief To Headmistress Denied Entry For Wearing Churidar Instead Of Saree, Says 'Dress Choice A Fundamental Right'

The Kerala High Court recently ordered police protection after the manager of a school obstructed the headmistress' entry for wearing churidar instead of saree. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 560]Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan also declared that a citizen's choice of attire is a part of fundamental right: “What dress one wears is ordinarily a matter of personal choice of every citizen of this country. No...

Kerala High Court Directs State To Notify Anti-Ragging Guidelines Within Two Weeks

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (06 October) directed the State Government to notify the proposed Anti-Ragging and Student Welfare Guidelines, 2026, within two weeks, while observing that issues relating to enhanced punishment and reclassification of ragging offences would require amendments to the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998.A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen...

SFI Activist Abhimanyu Murder: Kerala High Court Refuses In-Camera Trial, But Bars Photography/ Video-Recording Of Accused In Courtroom

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (October 7) declined the plea for in-camera trial in the SFI activist Abhimanyu murder case which is pending before the Sessions Court, Ernakulam.Abhimanyu was stabbed to death in 2018 during a campus political rivalry at Maharaja's College in Ernakulam. Presently, trial is pending before the Sessions Court against 16 accused (Accused Nos. 1 to 16)...

Kerala High Court Questions Centre Over Long-Pending AIIMS Proposal, Says State's Existing Healthcare Can't Be A "Handicap"

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (07 October) questioned the Centre's stand on the long-pending proposal to establish an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Kerala, asking whether the State's comparatively better healthcare infrastructure had effectively become a “handicap”.The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar was considering...

Kerala High Court Refuses To Quash Cruelty Case Against In-Laws Accused Of Calling Woman 'Servant', 'Cancer In Their Life'

The Kerala High Court recently refused to quash the matrimonial cruelty case against the parents-in-law of a woman, who allegedly referred to her as 'servant without wages' and 'cancer in their lives'. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 557]Justice G. Girish observed that there are multiple incidents of matrimonial cruelty attributed against the husband's parents and that the same are prima facie sufficient...