Kerala High Court Seeks State's Response On Suggestion To Rename 'Mental Health Centres' To Remove Stigma

The Kerala High Court on Friday (August 21) sought the State's response to a suggestion to rename 'Mental Health Centres', in order to remove the stigma attached to the words.The Division Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Basant Balaji passed the order, taking note of the suggestion made by amicus curiae Sathyasree Priya to rename it to 'Institutes of Behavioural Management'.The Court was considering an ongoing public interest litigation initiated in 1996 following the Apex Court's...

Transgender Devotee Moves Kerala High Court After Being Stopped From Proceeding To Sabarimala

The Kerala High Court on Monday (August 24) issued notice before admission on a plea preferred by a transgender person seeking to visit Sabarimala temple.The plea was moved before the vacation bench of Justice Gopinath P. and Justice S. Manu. The government pleader took notice on behalf of the State and the District Collector. Standing counsel took notice on behalf of the Travancore...

LiveLaw Kerala High Court Weekly Round-Up: 17 August - 23 August, 2026

Citations: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 448 - 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 461Nominal Index X v. X and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 448 Tharun Moorthi and Anr. v. State of Kerala and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 449A.T. George v. State of Kerala and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 450Peter T.V v District Police Chief, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 451Jaseela C v Sriram Venkittaraman and Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 452P. Gopalakrishnan...

Kerala High Court Suspends Life Sentence Of Former BJP Leader Padmarajan In Palathayi Rape Case

The Kerala High Court on Thursday (August 20) suspended the life sentence awarded to former BJP leader Padmarajan K. @ Pappan mash in the Palathayi rape case.In November last year, the Fast Track Special Court, Thalassery (Kannur) had found him guilty of rape of a 4th standard student while he was a Malayalam teacher in the U.P. School in Palathayi.The Division Bench comprising Justice...

Kerala High Court Issues Notice To Vigilance Director On Plea Challenging Refusal To Probe DGP S Sreejith

The Kerala High Court on Friday (August 21) issued notice to the Director of the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on a petition challenging the Government's decision declining, at this stage, to initiate a vigilance investigation into corruption allegations against DGP S. Sreejith, IPS.Justice A. Badharudeen issued notice on the petition moved by an Assistant Motor...

Kerala High Court Impleads Breast Cancer Patient In Suo Motu Case On Exorbitant Pricing Of Patented Drugs

The Kerala High Court on Friday (August 21) allowed the petition filed by a breast cancer patient who sought to be impleaded as an additional respondent in a suo motu plea raising issue of exorbitant pricing of patented breast cancer drugs.The plea was originally filed by a breast cancer patient, who was being treated with patented Ribociclib, seeking an intervention by the Central...

Kerala High Court Directs State To Establish 3 New NDPS Courts By September 10 To Address High Pendency Of Cases

The Kerala High Court on Friday (August 21) directed the State to establish three new NDPS courts at Thrissur, Palakkad, and Manjeri by September 10.It has also directed the State to engage permanent staff for the newly established NDPS courts in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram by the said date.The Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice C. Jayachandran today expressed concern over...

Need Policy For Care Of Children With Chronic Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: Kerala High Court Suggests Centre-State Meeting

The Kerala High Court has suggested a joint meeting between the Central and State Governments to formulate a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the care, rehabilitation and palliative support of children with chronic neurodevelopmental disabilities.A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V. M. while hearing public interest litigation...

2003 Muthanga Land Struggle Case: Kerala High Court Suspends Sentences Of Four Convicts

The Kerala High Court on Friday (August 21) suspended the sentences of four persons convicted in connection with the 2003 Muthanga land struggle case, involving a violent clash between police and Adivasi protesters during an eviction drive at the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary in Wayanad.Justice A. Badharudeen passed the order in the criminal appeals fiiled by convicts, challenging their...

'Shocked': Kerala High Court Criticizes Cochin Devaswom Board For Spending ₹28 Lakh Funds On Commissioner's Comforts

The Kerala High Court recently expressed shock over the unauthorised spending of around Rs. 28 lakhs of public money by the Cochin Devaswom Board for the comforts of its Devaswom Commissioner, who bought a new car and other luxuries in violation of government norms and guidelines. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 461].Criticising the Board, the Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice...

Kerala High Court Upholds Infant Vaccination Rule For ₹6,000 Maternity Benefit Under PMMVY Scheme

The Kerala High Court recently upheld the infant vaccination as a condition for lactating mothers to get monetary benefit of Rs. 6000 for second girl child under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) Scheme. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 460]Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas referred to Rule 7(2)(ii) of the PMVVY Rules and observed:“it is evident that the benefit of Rs.6,000/- shall be granted to...

Civil Court Lacks Jurisdiction To Try Commercial Dispute Of Specified Value After Designation Of Commercial Courts: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has held that once notification is issued by the State constituting sub Courts as Commercial Courts for recovery of a specified amount, the Civil Courts cannot proceed to adjudicate the matter on merits.[2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 459]Justice Easwaran S was delivering the judgment in a Regular Second Appeal filed by BRD Finance Ltd. against judgments of the Munsiff Court,...