Kerala High Court

Think & Learn RP, GLAS representative, EY India chief summoned by Kerala HC

The executives have been directed to appear on December 5 as the court examines alleged contempt involving the company's foreign assets

First wife must be heard before Muslim man's second marriage: Kerala HC

The Kerala High Court here has ruled that if a Muslim man wants to register his second marriage under the Kerala Registration of Marriages (Common) Rules 2008, while his earlier one is still in existence, his first wife should also be heard on whether she is agreeable to it or not. While making the ruling, Justice P V Kunhikrishnan also said that in such situation religion is secondary and constitutional rights are supreme. Therefore, "customary law is not applicable when the question of registering a second marriage arises", the judge said. Justice Kunhikrishnan also said, "I don't think that the Holy Quran or the Muslim Law permits an extramarital relationship with another lady when his first wife is alive and his first marriage with her is in existence, and that also, without the knowledge of his first wife." The court's observations came while declining to entertain a plea moved by a man and his second wife seeking directions to the state government to register their marriage.

Barring hijab in school denies girls secular education: Kerala govt to HC

The Kerala government on Friday told the High Court here that not permitting a Muslim girl to wear her headscarf (hijab) to school was an "invasion" of her privacy and dignity and a "denial of her right to secular education". The government said the right of the girl to wear a headscarf in her house and outside it, "does not stop at the school gate". The submissions were made in an affidavit filed in response to a plea moved by the church-run St Rita's Public School at Palluruthy here challenging the General Education Department's directive to permit the Muslim girl to attend classes wearing her religious headscarf or 'hijab'. The school had also challenged the department's notice, which stated there was "serious malfunctioning" at the institute. When the matter was taken up on Friday, the lawyer appearing for the girl said that her parents had decided to discontinue her studies at the school and admit her to another institution. In view of the submission on behalf of the student'

Sabarimala gold: SIT files first report in Kerala HC in sealed cover

The SIT probing the loss of gold from Sabarimala on Tuesday filed its first report in the Kerala High Court in a sealed cover, sources said. The report was submitted before a bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and KV Jayakumar in in-camera proceedings, in the absence of lawyers, court sources added. Police officials said the report will detail the current status of the Special Investigation Team's probe into the gold loss. The High Court, while assigning the case to the SIT, had directed the team to file a progress report within two weeks and set a six-week deadline to complete the investigation. The SIT was constituted after a court-initiated plea revealed the loss of the gold. The plea arose when the bench was informed that the gold-plated copper claddings of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols in Sabarimala had been removed for repair and renovation without notifying the court. Subsequently, a vigilance report highlighted lapses by Devaswom officials in connection with t

SIT to submit 1st progress report on Sabarimala gold case to Kerala HC

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the loss of gold from Sabarimala is expected to file its first progress report to the Kerala High Court soon, police sources said on Monday. The division bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and KV Jayakumar will hear the case again on Tuesday. Sources told PTI that the SIT plans to submit the report on the same day. Officials said the report will cover the current status of the investigation, including the arrest of Bengaluru-based Unnikrishnan Potty, who sponsored the electroplating of gold-clad copper plates on the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum )door frames in 2019. It will also detail the investigation carried out at Chennai, where the plates were electroplated, sources said. The High Court, while assigning the SIT to the case, had directed the team to file a progress report within two weeks and set a six-week deadline to complete the investigation. The SIT has registered two cases related to

Sabarimala gold row: Retired HC judge reaches temple to prepare inventory

Kerala High Court retired Judge Justice K T Sankaran on Saturday reached Sabarimala here to prepare an inventory of all valuables, including gold, as directed by the HC to check the missing of gold-clad materials from the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) of the hill shrine. Justice Sankaran had arrived at Pampa, the foothills of Sabarimala, on October 10 and trekked to the temple around 8 am on Saturday. He was accompanied by Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials, including a goldsmith, sources said. The team will complete the examination of the strongroom at Sabarimala and prepare a detailed inventory. According to officials, after completing the procedures there, Justice Sankaran will also examine the TDB's main strongroom at Aranmula. A bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar had recommended Justice Sankaran for the task, citing his expertise in such matters. Upon completion, he will submit the report directly to the High Court. The court had earlier ordered

Kerala HC orders registration of criminal case over Sabarimala gold issue

The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the state police to register a criminal case in connection with the "misappropriation of gold" from the "side frame or lintels" of the shrine and launch an investigation. A bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar issued the direction after noting that from the investigation conducted till now, "it appears that insofar as the side frames or lintels are concerned, misappropriation of gold has been carried out". The bench further said that it was also revealed from the vigilance report placed before it that "substantial quantity of gold -- amounting to about 474.9 grams -- was handed over to Unnikrishnan Potty (the sponsor who offered to carry out the gold-plating)". "However, the records do not reveal that this quantity of gold was entrusted with the TDB (by him)," the court added. The bench directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by it to probe the side frame/lintels issue also along with all the other aspe

'Centre has failed people of Kerala': HC on Wayanad disaster loan refusal

The Kerala High Court slammed the Centre for refusing to waive loans for Wayanad landslide victims and ordered banks to stop recovery until further notice

Kerala HC upholds stay on commission to probe ED role in gold smuggling

The Kerala High Court on Friday upheld its 2021 single judge decision to stay a state government order appointing a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to examine any alleged attempt by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to implicate Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the gold smuggling through diplomatic channels case. A bench of Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Syam Kumar V M said there was no error in the single judge's August 11, 2021, interim order. The bench's ruling came while dismissing the Kerala government's appeal challenging the single judge's order. "The Writ Appeal, being bereft of merit and substance, is hereby dismissed. The interim order dated August 11, 2021, passed by the single judge is affirmed," the bench said. The single judge's order had come on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking to quash the state government's notification regarding the appointment of the CoI. The bench also said the issue of the state government's legislative competence to

Polygamy out of bounds for Muslim men lacking means, says Kerala HC

The Kerala High Court has observed that it cannot accept multiple marriages of a Muslim man when he has no capacity to maintain his wives, and one of them approaches the court claiming maintenance. The observation was made by Justice P V Kunhikrishnan when a 39-year-old Perinthalmanna native approached the court seeking a monthly maintenance of Rs 10,000 from her husband, who survives by begging. Earlier, the petitioner had approached a Family Court, which dismissed her plea, stating that her 46-year-old husband from Kumbadi, Palakkad, who was surviving on begging, cannot be directed to pay maintenance. The court, in a satirical manner, referred to a Malayalam phrase implying: "Don't put your hand into a begging bowl". The judge noted that the husband was also not a saint. "Even though he is blind and a beggar, as stated by the petitioner, who is his second wife, he has been threatening her that he will soon enter into a third marriage with another woman," the court observed. The

Kerala HC orders devaswom boards to keep temple premises free of politics

The Kerala High Court has directed three prominent devaswom boards in the state to ensure that premises of temples under their control are not used for any political activity. The direction to the Travancore, Cochin and Malabar Devaswom Boards was issued by a bench of justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar on a plea by an Ernakulam resident N Prakash. In his plea, Prakash had claimed that various temple premises, like the Tali Temple at Kozhikode, Sree Indilayappan Temple at Attingal and Kadakkal Devi Temple in Kollam, were used for the promotion of political activities. "Such activities are inappropriate and hurt the feelings of the devotees," he said. The Malabar Devaswom Board had told the court that it was "not pragmatic" for the Devaswom Boards to issue directions regulating the selection of any forms of events or performing acts, other than those connected with the customary poojas, rites, and rituals of the temple. It also said that misuse of the temple and its ..

Kerala HC bars district courts from using AI for legal reasoning, decisions

In a landmark move, the Kerala High Court has come out with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) usage policy which specifically prohibits usage of such tools for decision making or legal reasoning by the district judiciary. The High Court has come out with the 'Policy Regarding Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools in District Judiciary' for a responsible and restricted use of AI in judicial functions of the district judiciary of the state in view of the increasing availability of and access to such software tools. According to court sources, it is a first-of-its-kind policy. It has advised the district judiciary to "exercise extreme caution" as "indiscriminate use of AI tools might result in negative consequences, including violation of privacy rights, data security risks and erosion of trust in the judicial decision making". "The objectives are to ensure that AI tools are used only in a responsible manner, solely as an assistive tool, and strictly for specifically allowed purposes. Th

CEE Kerala publishes revised KEAM rank list after court order, know more

CEE Kerala has announced the revised rank list for the Kerala Engineering, Agriculture and Medical (KEAM) admission 2025 after a high court order

Custodial torture cannot be considered police duty: Kerala High Court

The court also said that custodial torture by police is the 'worst kind of crime in any society governed by the rule of law

Kerala HC orders conditional arrest of cargo ship in ₹9,531 cr damage case

The Kerala High Court on Monday ordered the conditional arrest of a cargo ship anchored at Vizhinjam Port in connection with a Rs 9,531 crore compensation case filed by the State of Kerala over a major shipwreck and environmental damage. The vessel, MSC AKITETA II (IMO 9220847), was ordered to be detained after the state accused the owners and managers of another ship which appears to be of the same company, MSC ELSA III (IMO 9123221), of causing severe pollution off the Kerala coast. The MSC ELSA III had capsized and sunk off Kerala coast on May 25, allegedly releasing oil and cargo that harmed the marine environment, damaged the coastline and affected the livelihood of thousands of fishermen. Kerala's Environment Department, which brought the case, said the sunken vessel had 643 cargo containers and that the damage caused was enormous. The state is seeking Rs 9,531 crore in total including compensation for environmental harm, clean-up efforts and economic losses to local fishing

Toilets at petrol pump cannot be used as public facilities, says Kerala HC

The Kerala High Court directs state and local bodies not to force petrol pump owners to allow public use of toilets meant only for customers, citing safety and property concerns

Kerala HC summons Priyanka Gandhi in petition challenging Wayanad win

BJP's Navya Haridas alleges Priyanka Gandhi failed to disclose key assets and misled voters in her election affidavit

Preventive detention is an extraordinary power, use it sparingly: SC

Preventive detention is an extraordinary power in the hands of the state that must be used sparingly, said the Supreme Court as it set aside an order to detain a man indulging in money lending in Kerala. A bench of justices Sanjay Karol and Manmohan said the circumstances pointed out in the order by the detaining authority may be ground enough for the state to approach the competent courts for cancellation of bail in cases against him, but it cannot be said that the same warranted his preventive detention. "Therefore, the order of detention dated June 20, 2024, and the impugned judgment dated September 4, 2024, passed by the High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam are hereby set aside. In the attending facts and circumstances of this case, the appeal is allowed," the bench said in its order passed on Friday. Noting that the power of preventive detention finds recognition in the Constitution under Article 22(3)(b), the bench said, "The provision for preventive detention is an extraordinary

Kerala HC allows trans couple to be named as 'parents' on birth certificate

Kerala High Court directs birth certificate of trans couple's child to list both as 'parents', replacing 'mother' and 'father' to uphold rights and inclusivity

3 Kerala HC judges, families narrowly escape Pahalgam terror attack

Three Kerala High Court judges and their families escaped unhurt after leaving Pahalgam just hours before a deadly terror attack that claimed 26 lives and injured many