Kerala

Central lab confirms avian flu outbreak in Kerala's Alappuzha, Kottayam

The Kerala State Animal Husbandry Department has initiated precautionary measures after avian flu was confirmed among poultry in some areas of Alappuzha and Kottayam districts, officials said on Tuesday. In Alappuzha, an outbreak has been reported at Nedumudi, Cheruthana, Karuvatta Karthikapally, Ambalapuzha South, Punnapra South, Thakazhi, and Purakkad. In Kottayam, the spread of avian flu is reported at Kurupanthara, Kallupuraykkal and Veloor, officials said. Speaking to PTI, Animal Husbandry Minister J Chinchu Rani said test results from a central laboratory have confirmed the outbreak in both districts. Cases of avian flu came to our notice about a week ago. Samples were collected and sent to a central laboratory in Bhopal, which has confirmed the outbreak, she said. The minister said the department is currently assessing the outbreak's intensity. She said no restrictions have been imposed on the consumption of poultry products so far. However, after further analysis, if req

Over 2.4 mn voters remain untraced after enumeration phase in Kerala SIR

Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar on Saturday said that 24,08,503 voters remain untraced after the enumeration stage of the SIR of the electoral rolls in the state. He was speaking at an all-party meeting convened to review the SIR procedures. Kelkar presented the SIR figures after the completion of the enumeration process. According to the data, 24,08,503 enumeration forms remain uncollected out of 2.78 crore existing voters in the state, accounting for 8.65 per cent. Of these, 6,49,885 pertain to deceased persons, 6,45,548 voters were found untraceable, and 8,16,221 voters were identified as having permanently shifted from their registered addresses. In addition, 1,36,029 duplicate voters and 1,60,830 voters falling under other categories were identified. Kelkar said the draft electoral roll will be published on December 23. He said issues related to the voters' list can be addressed during the grievance redressal period from December 23 to January 22, 2026. Also,

Kerala HC extends arrest protection for expelled Congress MLA Mamkootathil

The Kerala High Court on Monday extended the interim protection from arrest granted to expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in a case relating to the alleged rape of a woman and forcing her to abort pregnancy. A bench of Justice K Babu, which was hearing Mamkootathil's petition challenging the Thiruvananthapuram Principal District and Sessions Court denying him anticipatory bail, posted the matter for further hearing on December 18. The court extended its earlier direction restraining the police from arresting Mamkootathil until the petition is considered again on that date. Meanwhile, a separate petition filed by the state government challenging the Thiruvananthapuram court's order granting pre-arrest bail to Mamkootathil in another case, relating to the alleged sexual assault of a woman on the false promise of marriage, came up for consideration before a HC bench of Justice Viju Abraham. The court decided to take up the matter after the Christmas vacation. Mamkootathil, who

Left parties review Kerala civic poll setback, vow to correct any flaws

Key constituents of Keralas's ruling Left, the CPI(M) and CPI on Monday acknowledged the need for a possible course-correction in their parties following the poor show in the just concluded civic polls, where their traditional rival Congress led its alliance to a decisive win while the BJP made surprising and significant inroads. The two Left parties held top-level review meetings here on Monday to assess the flaws in their election strategy and the incumbent LDF government's policies. The poll results had come as a shocker to the ruling dispensation months ahead of the 2026 general elections, where it is fancying a third term in a row since 2016. LDF convener and CPI(M) leader T P Ramakrishnan said the reasons behind the public response to the Left Front in the elections would be examined. "If there have been mistakes on our part, they will be corrected. Public opinion will be sought," he said. He acknowledged that the BJP had gained votes in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, w

Pilgrim turn out in Sabarimala crosses 2.5 mn during ongoing season

The pilgrim turnout at Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple here has crossed 25 lakh in the ongoing annual Mandalam pilgrimage season, a senior official said on Monday. Despite a significant increase in the number of pilgrims compared to last year, darshan at the hill shrine continues smoothly due to effective planning and arrangements, said ADGP S Sreejith, Chief Police Coordinator for Sabarimala. While around 21 lakh devotees had visited the shrine by this time last year, the number has crossed 25 lakh in the ongoing season, he said in a statement. Though heavy crowding was experienced during the initial days, the situation was brought under control through timely interventions, he said. The senior police officer pointed out that the temporary congestion was largely caused by pilgrims failing to arrive on the date specified in their virtual queue passes. He stressed that if devotees adhere to the allotted dates, sufficient time for darshan can be ensured for everyone. He further note

Meet R Sreelekha, ex-DGP who could be BJP's first Thiruvananthapuram mayor

The BJP's historic civic poll win in Kerala's capital has put the spotlight on R Sreelekha, the retired DGP who delivered a big ward victory and is now seen as a frontrunner for mayor

Congress downplays BJP's Thiruvananthapuram win, claims UDF wave in Kerala

The Congress on Saturday downplayed the victory of the BJP in the Thiruvananthapuram municipal corporation, saying no amount of spin can take away from the reality that there is a UDF wave in Kerala and it will be decisively repeated in the 2026 Assembly polls. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, who hails from Kerala, termed the BJP's claim of its surge in Kerala as "laughable". Interestingly, his remarks came after Congress Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor congratulated the BJP for the "historic performance" in the city corporation and said "the people's verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in my constituency". In a post on X, Tharoor said he campaigned for a change from 45 years of the LDF "misrule", but the voters have ultimately rewarded another party that also sought a clear change in governance. "That is the beauty of democracy. The people's verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in my ...

Beauty of democracy: Tharoor congratulates BJP on civic body poll win

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday, while lauding the win of the UDF in Kerala local bodies elections, also congratulated the BJP for its historic performance in his Thiruvananthapuram constituency, calling it the "beauty of democracy". In a post on X, he said the people's verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in his constituency. "What a day of amazing results in the Kerala local self-government elections! The mandate is clear, and the democratic spirit of the state shines through. "A huge congratulations to @UDFKerala for a truly impressive win across various local bodies! This is a massive endorsement and a powerful signal ahead of the state legislative elections. Hard work, a strong message and anti-incumbency have all clearly paid off to achieve a much better result than in 2020," Tharoor said. He said he also acknowledges the historic performance of the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram, and "offer humble congratulations on their significant ..

BJP wrests Thiruvananthapuram Corporation from LDF, ends 45-year Left rule

The lotus bloomed in the state capital as the BJP-led NDA achieved a resounding win in the polls for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, snatching it from the CPI(M)-led LDF and marking an end to 45 years of continuous Left rule in the local body. The win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation will act as a boost for the BJP in the 2026 assembly polls, especially in the state capital. Of the 101 wards in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP won 50, LDF 29, UDF 19 and two by independent candidates. The BJP is one seat short of a decisive majority in the corporation. Besides this, the NDA retained the Palakkad municipality after a close battle with the Congress-led UDF and wrested the Thrippunithura Municipality from the grand old party. In Thrissur, from where Suresh Gopi won in the Lok Sabha polls last year, the BJP won 18 out of the 46 wards in Kodungallur Municipality, 8 in Thrissur Corporation, two each in Guruvayoor and Vadakkancherry municipalities, 7 in Kunnamkulam ...

Congress candidate wins seat after Kerala HC reinstates name to voter list

The Congress candidate from Muttada division of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in the local body polls who had to move the Kerala High Court to reinstate her name in the electoral roll, won on Saturday with a margin of over 300 votes. Talking to reporters after her win, Vyshna SL said it was a "win for democracy" and that the Congress had said that "truth will win". "It is an occasion for us to be proud and happy. People recognised our hard work," she said. Vyshna had approached the Kerala HC after receiving a notice from the State Election Commission (SEC) stating that her name had been removed from the voters' list. Subsequently, the High Court had directed the SEC to reexamine her claim. Thereafter, the SEC had conducted a hearing and reinstated her name in the voters list. The Congress had alleged that there was a LDF conspiracy behind the removal of Vyshna's name from the electoral roll.

Kerala court acquits Dileep, convicts six in 2017 actress assault case

A Kerala court on Monday acquitted Malayalam actor Dileep in the 2017 sexual assault case involving a south Indian actress, while finding six others, including prime accused Sunil N S alias Pulsar Suni, who directly committed the crime, guilty. Apart from Dileep, the court also acquitted three others in the case. The verdict was pronounced by Ernakulam Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese, who had concluded the hearing in the lengthy trial on November 25, in a tightly packed court room here. The CPI(M) said the government would file an appeal on the matter. Besides Sunil, the others convicted are Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh V P, Salim H, and Pradeep -- the first six accused in the case. They were charged under Sections 120A (conspiracy), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 109 (abetment of offence), 342 (wrongful confinement), 366 (kidnapping or abducting a woman), 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with an intent to outrage her modesty), 354B (use of criminal force to

ECI extends Kerala electoral roll revision timeline ahead of polls

The Election Commission of India on Friday decided to extend by one week the SIR schedule for Kerala in view of the upcoming local body polls in the state. The local body polls will be held in the state on December 9 and 11 in two phases. The commission's order comes after Kerala submitted a request, as permitted by the Supreme Court, to extend the last dates for submission of the enumeration forms and other procedures which are part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Under the revised schedule, the draft electoral roll will be published on December 23 as against the earlier date of December 16. The final electoral roll will be published on February 21, 2026 as against the earlier date of February 14, 2026, the commission said.

SC tells Kerala CM, guv to reach consensus or court will appoint VCs

The Supreme Court on Friday said it will intervene to resolve the ongoing deadlock over the selection of vice chancellors for two technical universities in Kerala if Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor-cum-chancellor Rajendra Arlekar do not reach a consensus. A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and PB Varale was hearing the matter related to the appointments of VCs of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, and the University of Digital Sciences Innovation and Technology. The bench asked Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the governor, and senior advocate Jaideep Gupta, representing the chief minister, to find out some amicable solution to the impasse. Venkataramani submitted that the Justice (Retd) Sudhanshu Dhulia committee had recommended two sets of names and the chancellor had picked two names. "The chief minister has some difficulty with some names. There are some common names," the AG said. Advocate Gupta said that the name, which is not acceptable

Kerala CM's office pressuring SIT to delay investigation: LoP Satheesan

The Congress-led UDF on Friday alleged that the Kerala Chief Minister's office was exerting pressure on the SIT against questioning a former Devaswom Minister in connection with the Sabarimala gold issue till the upcoming local body polls are over. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan contended that the Congress claims of an illicit CPI(M)-BJP relationship have been proved by the recent revelation that CPI (M) MP John Brittas acted as intermediary in the signing of the PM SHRI memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government earlier. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had recently remarked that Brittas had "mediated" the signing of the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) MoU by the Kerala government. Following criticism from the opposition on the issue, the ruling CPI(M) and Brittas had claimed that he was only fulfilling his duty as an MP from the state in the interests of Kerala. Speaking to reporters here, Satheesan alleged t

Houthis free Kerala sailor after nearly five-month detention in Yemen

An Indian national from Kerala, who was in detention of Houthi rebels in war-torn Yemen since early July, has been released. Anilkumar Raveendran was among the crew members of cargo ship MV Eternity C. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India welcomes the release of Raveendran, who was under detention in Yemen since July 7. "He reached Muscat yesterday and is expected to travel back to India soon," it said. The MEA said the government had been coordinating efforts with various parties to ensure his safe release and return. "The government of India would like to thank the Sultanate of Oman for facilitating the release of Anilkumar Raveendran," it said in a brief statement.

SC urges ECI to extend time for submitting forms for electoral rolls

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was informed that the ECI had already extended the original deadline from December 4 to December 11

Who are BLOs and what is their role in the statewide SIR exercise?

Here's a look at who BLOs are, what their work involves, their role in the SIR process, and what is causing rising stress levels among them

Sabarimala missing gold: Chennithala accuses Kerala CM of shielding accused

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of trying to protect the accused in the Sabarimala gold loss case. The incident had hurt the sentiments of Lord Ayyappa devotees across the world, he said, and added that the government was the prime accused in the case. The Congress leader said former presidents of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), A Padmakumar and N Vasu, had already been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), but they could not do anything alone without "political support". He alleged that CM Vijayan was trying to protect them and others accused in the gold missing case. Referring to the reported reference of Padmakumar about the involvement of a "god-like person" in the case, Chennithala said, "in Marxist party who is god-like other than Pinarayi Vijayan?" "The present investigation into the case is not extending to the ministers as they have the support of the CM and the government. People of the state

Martian features may soon be named after Kerala's researchers and places

Names of researchers and places from Kerala have been approved for geographic features on Mars -- among these is a 3.5-billion-year-old crater that will be named after pioneering geologist M S Krishnan, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has announced. "The IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved the names Krishnan, Valiamala, Varkala, Thumba, Bekal, Krishnan Palus, and Periyar Vallis for seven features on Mars," the announcement dated November 24 reads. Krishnan was the first Indian to serve as the Director of the Geological Survey of India in 1951. "Once names are approved by the IAU WGPSN, they can be used on maps and in publications," Ramasamy Venugopal from the IAU's Office of Astronomy for Development said in an email to PTI. Founded in 1919, the IAU's mission is to promote and safeguard astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication and education, through international cooperation. Members of the organisation from across 92 .

Urge Centre to push Wildlife Act amendments, Wayanad aid: Kerala CM to MPs

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday urged the MPs from the southern state to take up various issues, including approval of the amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act and more financial assistance for rehabilitation of Wayanad's landslide-hit areas, at the Centre. Vijayan, in an online meeting of the MPs and state ministers, said that the state assembly had made amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act, a central law, to ease various obstacles in it with regard to preventing animal attacks. The President's assent is required for bringing the amendments into effect, the CM pointed out and urged the MPs to work towards achieving it, a statement issued by Vijayan's office said. In the meeting, the CM also asked the MPs to exert pressure on the Centre to provide a special assistance of Rs 620 crore under the centrally-sponsored scheme to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, the statement said. He asked them to urge the Centre to increase its share under the Pradhan Mantr