Municipal Secretary Can Cut Down Dangerous Trees Without Notice To Owner: Kerala High Court Grants Relief To 92-Year-Old Man

The Kerala High Court recently passed a judgment clarifying that as per Section 412(2) of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994, the secretary of a municipal corporation can cut down dangerous trees, without notice to their owner.Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan granted relief to a 92-year-old man, who had been fighting for the past 9 years to get the trees in his neighbouring property cut down because of the danger they posed.The Court expressed its disappointment with the way in which the petitioner's...

Kerala High Court Refuses To Close Suraj Lama Case Despite Identification Of Body, Orders SIT To Probe Sequence Of Events

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (11 February) declined to close the habeas corpus petition filed to trace Suraj Lama, an Indian citizen who was deported from Kuwait but went missing after arriving at Kochi, even after identification of his dead body recovered from Kochi's Kalamaserry area.The division bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M B Snehalatha has directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to continue its investigation, to document the sequence of events from...

Kerala High Court Asks Travancore Devaswom Board To Explain Irregularities Found In Audited Accounts Of Global Ayyappa Sangamam

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (February 11) flagged the irregularities noted by the independent team that audited the accounts of the Global Ayyappa Sangamam, which was held on September 20, 2025 at Sabarimala with the approval of the Court.The Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar observed that it is for the Devaswom Board to explain the irregularities and sought inputs from the Board and the Kerala State Audit department."In the independent auditor's...

'Suitability Certificate' From Indian Nursing Council Not Mandatory For Registering Nurses Trained Outside State: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has held that the State Nursing Council cannot insist on a Recognition/ Suitability Certificate of the Indian Nursing Council (INC) for granting inter-State registration to nursing students.Justice N Nagaresh was delivering the judgment in a writ petition which challenged the insistence of recognition of the Nursing Colleges by Indian Nursing Council for registration...

Kerala High Court Dismisses Pleas Challenging Upper Age Limit For Availing Assisted Reproductive Technology Services

The Kerala High Court recently dismissed a batch of writ petitions challenging the upper age limit prescribed to avail assisted reproductive technology services.Justice Sobha Annamma Eapen passed a common judgment in the batch of cases that had challenged the constitutional validity of Section 21(g) of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 that prescribed the upper...

Using Minimum Corporal Punishment For Discipline Not Offence: Kerala High Court Quashes Criminal Case Against Teacher For Caning Student

The Kerala High Court has reiterated that using minimum corporal punishment to discipline student in school is not an offence under the Juvenile Justice Act or the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.Justice C. Pratheep Kumar quashed the criminal case initiated against a teacher for caning a student in the school.The prosecution case is that the accused teacher voluntarily caused hurt to a student by beating him with a cane on his buttocks. A crime was registered alleging commission of offences under...

'Neighbourhood School' Under RTE Act Cannot Be Rigidly Distance-Based: Kerala HC Dismisses Challenge To School Shifting In Lakshadweep

The Kerala High Court has held that the concept of a “neighbourhood school” under Section 6 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act) Act cannot be applied through rigid distance-based standards and must be understood in light of local geographical and demographic realities.Justice N. Nagaresh was delivering the judgment in two writ petitions filed by minor students from Agatti and Andrott Islands in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, who had challenged...

'Will Not Affect Fair Trial': CBFC Opposes In Kerala High Court Plea To Stall Movie Allegedly Inspired By Venjaramoodu Murder Case

The Central Board of Film Certification on Tuesday (February 10) submitted before the Kerala High Court that though the movie 'Kaalam Paranja Kadha' may have been inspired by the Venjaramoodu Mass Murder case, the same will not affect the trial of the accused.Justice Bechu Kurian was considering a plea preferred by the father of the accused who stated that the movie may prejudice the trial in the case, which is still pending before the Sessions Court, Thiruvananthapuram.When the matter came...

Filing False Suit With Forged Documents Against SC/ST Person Prima Facie Attracts Offence Under SC/ST Act: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently held that the offence under Section 3(1)(q) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act would be prima facie attracted when it is prima facie established that a false suit using a forged document was filed by a non-member against a member of the community.Justice A. Badharudeen observed:“when it is prima facie established that the suit filed…is one in the category of false, malicious or vexatious one, particularly using a forged suit...

Acquittal Under Essential Commodities Act Doesn't Automatically Entitle Trader To Interest Or Higher Compensation: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has recently held that an acquittal in a criminal trial under Section 3(1) of the Essential Commodities Act, 1995 does not by itself entitle a trader to compensation with interest under Section 6C(2), unless the statutory preconditions under that provision are strictly satisfied.For context, Section 3 deals with the power of the Central Government to control...

Disability Pension Must Be Granted To Voluntary Dischargee When Chronic Condition Acquired Due To Military Service: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently ruled that a person would be entitled to disability pension if his chronic disability was acquired due to military service even though he voluntarily discharged himself from service.The Division Bench of Justice K. Natarajan and Justice Johnson John was considering a plea preferred after the petitioner's application before the Armed Forces Tribunal against...

Intentional Judicial Decision Cannot Be Altered As 'Clerical Error' U/S 151 & 152 CPC; Remedy Lies In Appeal Or Review: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has held that an intentional adjudicatory decision cannot be corrected under the guise of “clerical error” or “inherent powers” under Section 151 or 152 of Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 and must be challenged only through appellate or review mechanisms.The division bench comprising Justice Sathish Ninan and Justice P Krishna Kumar were delivering a judgment in...