'Sheer Mockery': Kerala High Court Questions Govt Failure To Curb Illegal Flags & Banners, Seeks Chief Secretary's Affidavit

The Kerala High Court on Friday (July 31) questioned the State Government's failure to implement its directions against unauthorised flags, banners, hoardings and festoons in the State, observing that continued inaction by statutory authorities would reduce the rule of law to a "sheer mockery." Justice Devan Ramachandran thus directed the Chief Secretary to file an affidavit explaining the...

Kerala High Court Seeks Kochi Corporation's Plan To Protect Pedestrian Rights After SC Declares Safe Footpaths A Fundamental Right

The Kerala High Court on Friday (July 31) directed the Kochi Corporation to formulate a comprehensive protocol for pedestrian infrastructure across the city within one month, noting that the Supreme Court's recent declaration of safe footpaths as a fundamental right requires local authorities to ensure meaningful protection of pedestrian rights.Justice Devan Ramachandran passed the...

Kerala High Court Raps State Over Delay In Establishing New Special NDPS Courts To Overcome High Pendency

The Kerala High Court on Friday (July 31) pulled up the State government for delay in implementing its order to establish and operationalise new NDPS courts in Kerala owing to large pendency of cases.In March, the Court had ordered the State to establish Special NDPS Court in Thrissur, Palakkad, and Manjeri and, to operationalise two additional courts at Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam,...

Kerala High Court Stays BCI's Interim State Bar Council Authority, Says Inclusion Of Non-Elected Member Prima Facie Violates 'Democratic Scheme'

The Kerala High Court on Friday (July 31) stayed the operation of an order issued by the Chairman of the Bar Council of India (BCI) constituting a Limited Interim Authority for the Bar Council of Kerala, holding that the inclusion of a former Bar Council Chairman who was no longer an elected member prima facie violated the democratic scheme of the Advocates Act, 1961.Justice Bechu Kurian...

Congress' TN Prathapan Moves Kerala High Court Challenging CPI(M) MLA Prof. C Ravindranath's Election Win

An election petition has been moved challenging the election win of CPI(M) MLA Prof. C. Ravindranath from Thrissur's Manalur Constituency. C. Ravindranath, who has been the member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly from Puthukkad constituency in Thrissur since 2011, contested from Manalur during the 2026 Assembly election. He had also served as the Minister for General Education from 2018 -...

High Court Seeks Kerala Congress MLA Reji Cheriyan's Response To Plea Challenging His Election Victory

The Kerala High Court on Friday (July 31) sought the response of Kuttanad constituency MLA Reji Cheriyan to the the election petition challenging his victory in the recent Assembly elections.Justice P.V. Balakrishnan today issued notice to the Congress MLA and posted the case to August 20.The petition has not been numbered yet as certain defects were noted by the High Court...

IUML Candidate CH Rasheed Moves Kerala High Court Challenging CPI(M) MLA NK Akbar's Election Win

An election petition has been moved before the Kerala High Court challenging the election win of CPI(M) MLA N.K. Akbar from Thrissur's Guruvaryur constituency.Akbar has been serving as Guruvayur MLA since 2021. The challenge was made by runner-up and Indian Union Muslim League candidate C.H. Rasheed.When the matter came up today, Justice Harisankar V. Menon granted time to the...

Former Congress MLA Moves Kerala High Court Challenging BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar's Election Win

Former Congress MLA K.S. Sabarinadhan has approached the Kerala High Court challenging the election win of BJP State President, Rajeev Chandrasekhar from Thiruvananthapuram's Nemom constituency. K.S. Sabarinadhan, who is currently serving as the ward councillor for the Kowdior ward of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, was the candidate in Nemom from Indian National Congress...

Kerala High Court Issues Notice On Plea To Invalidate Thiruvananthapuram Mayoral Election Over Councillors' Invalid Oath

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (July 28) issued notice to the State Election Commission and 20 councillors of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation in an appeal seeking to invalidate the election of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor— on the ground that 20 councillors who participated in the election had taken an invalid statutory oath. The appeal also challenges the Single Judge's...

Kerala High Court Closes Archbishop Pamplany's Plea Over Alleged Trespass At St. Mary's Basilica As 'Infructuous'

The Kerala High Court has recently (27 July) closed a writ petition filed by Mar Joseph Pamplany, seeking police intervention to prevent alleged criminal trespass inside St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica, Broadway, Ernakulam, after the petitioner informed the court that no further relief was required. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 416]Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas passed the order, making it clear that...

Ex-Devaswom Minister Moves Kerala High Court Challenging BJP MLA V. Muraleedharan's Election Win

An election petition has been moved by CPI(M) leader and former Minister for Co-Operation, Tourism, and Devaswom Kadakampally Surendran challenging the victory of BJP MLA and former Union minister V. Muraleedharan from Thiruvananthapuram's Kazhakoottam constituency.In the 2026 Assembly elections, the BJP had won three seats, in the Kazhakoottam, Nemom and Chathannur constituencies....

Kerala High Court Extends Stay On Sexual Assault Case Against 'Manjummel Boys' Director Chidambaram

The Kerala High Court on Thursday (July 30) extended the stay granted to Manjummel Boys director Chidambaram S. Poduval in the sexual assault case alleged against him.On July 20, the Court had stayed all further proceedings in the committal proceedings pending against the director before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offences), Ernakulam. It had also issued notice to the...