Kerala High Court Restores PIL Seeking Enactment Of Law Against Superstition & Human Sacrifice

The Kerala High Court on Friday restored the PIL seeking a direction to be issued to the State government to consider and take a decision regarding enactment and implementation of 'The Kerala Prevention of Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices, Sorcery and Black Magic Bill, 2019'.

The Court had earlier dismissed the petition for default as no counsel for the petitioner, Kerala Yukthi Vadhi Sangham, had appeared before the Court.

Advocate P.V. Jeevesh appearing for the petitioner today before the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice S.V.N. Bhatti and Justice Basant Balaji explained the reason for not having been able to appear on the two previous instances, pursuant to which the petition was restored by the Court.

The registered cultural organization, Kerala Yukthi Vadhi Sangham, filed the plea in the wake of two horrific instances of human sacrifice of two women in Elanthoor, Pathanamthitta. The State Law Reforms Commission headed by Justice K.T. Thomas had made its recommendations to the government on the bill in 2019.

The petitioner averred that the State was continuously witnessing several incidents of crimes in connection with superstitious beliefs. "It has come to light several cases of human sacrifices and other types of assaults in connection with the superstitious belief of black magic and witchcraft. For the purposes of God's grace, financial gains, getting jobs, resolving family problems, the birth of children, and for several other desires, some people are practicing black magic and witchcraft of which people belong to the downtrodden, and the children and women are mostly the victims", the petition stated.

The Court was earlier informed that the State government was contemplating enactment of a legislation against human sacrifice and other such superstitious practices. On a pointed query today, the State Attorney informed the Court that government has to contemplate whether to legislate on the matter and several stages in the legislative process are left.

Case Title: Kerala Yukthi Vadhi Sangham v. Union of India & Ors.