High Court
Kerala High Court
Ernakulam
The Kerala High Court was established in 1956. It has jurisdiction over the state of Kerala and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
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News & Updates Published
Order
FIR Ordered Against Pinarayi Vijayan, Veena Thaikkandiyil and Mohammed Riyas in CMRL-Exalogic Case: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court on October 9, 2026, directed the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to register an FIR in the CMRL-Exalogic case involving former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena Thaikkandiyil and his son-in-law Mohammed Riyas. Justice A. Badharudeen passed the order on a…
Order
Alleged Elbow Hit on Woman’s Chest Insufficient to Establish Intent to Outrage Modesty, Man Acquitted: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has acquitted Rajendran in a molestation case dating back to 2002, setting aside his conviction and sentence under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Justice Jobin Sebastian passed the order on September 30, 2026, while allowing Criminal Revision Petition No. 481 of 2007. The case arose…
Order
Police Directed to Strictly Enforce Public Smoking Ban and Conduct Awareness on Passive Smoking: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has disposed of a public interest litigation seeking strict enforcement of the legal ban on smoking in public places across Kerala. The petition was filed by Prof. Monamma Kokkad in WP(PIL) No. 195 of 2026, decided on October 7, 2026. The petitioner argued that directions issued by the High Court…
Order
Notaries Act Protection Unavailable for Forged Attestation in Signatory’s Absence: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed a petition filed by P. Imbichi Koya, a 67-year-old advocate and Kerala State Notary, seeking to quash criminal proceedings against him in a vigilance case involving an allegedly forged consent letter linked to a building permit. Justice A. Badharudeen passed the order on September…
Order
498A Case Against In-Laws Retained Over Allegations of Calling Daughter-in-Law a ‘Servant’ and ‘Cancer in Their Life’: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against Sreejith MS, the fourth accused in a matrimonial cruelty case, while refusing to end the case against his parents, Sasi MR and Shantha P.A. The order was passed by Justice G. Girish on 5 October 2026. The case arose from Crime No.64/2022 of Chottanikkara…
Order
20-Year Jail Term Upheld for Man Convicted of Repeated Sexual Assault on 12-Year-Old Niece: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed a criminal appeal challenging the conviction and sentence of the accused in a POCSO case tried by the Fast Track Special Court, Wadakkanchery. The case arose from Crime No. 977/2021 of Pazhayannur Police Station, Thrissur. The accused was convicted by the Special Court on 25.06.2024…
Judgment
Preventive Detention of BJP Councillor Sugathan R Quashed Over Procedural Lapses Under KAAPA: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has set aside the preventive detention of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation Councillor Sugathan R under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 2007 (KAAPA), finding serious procedural lapses in the detention process. The petition was filed by his wife, Aswathi G R, challenging…
Judgment
Disability Does Not Extinguish Husband’s Duty to Maintain Wife, Kerala HC Upholds ₹10,000 Monthly Maintenance: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed R.P.F.C. No. 122 of 2024 and upheld an order directing the petitioner to pay ₹10,000 per month as maintenance to the respondent. The case arose from M.C. No. 137 of 2019 before the Family Court, Kottayam at Ettumanoor. The petitioner and respondent married on 1 August 2015. It was…
Order
Wife Declared Exclusive Owner of Jointly Registered Property, Husband Directed to Vacate House Within Three Months: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has declared Raslin the exclusive owner of a 2.8 Ares (7 cents) property and the building standing on it, in a matrimonial dispute involving her husband Shamsheer Kurudan Candy. The judgment was delivered on 26 September 2026 in Mat.Appeal Nos.84 and 581 of 2022. Raslin had claimed that her…
Judgment
YouTuber Thoppi Granted Anticipatory Bail, Kerala High Court Notes No Obscene or Sexually Coloured Remarks Were Directly Made by Him: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Muhammed Nihad @ Thoppi in a case registered by Manjeri Police in Malappuram district over alleged objectionable remarks and the unauthorised display of a woman's photographs and videos during a YouTube livestream. The order was passed by Justice Dr. Kauser…
Order
Mere Relationship With Husband’s Family Insufficient for Domestic Violence Proceedings Without Proof of Shared Household: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has quashed proceedings under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 against two persons who were arrayed as the fourth and fifth respondents in a domestic violence case before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-IV, Kozhikode. The petitioners, who were the brother-in-law…
Order
Flag Insult Case Against Lakshadweep Man Quashed, Accidental Display of 'Saffron Down' Without Intent Not an Offence: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against Mohammed Kasim H.K., who was accused of insulting the Indian National Flag by sharing a photograph in which the saffron band appeared at the bottom. Justice A. Badharudeen held that the prosecution material did not indicate that the flag had been displayed…
Judgment
Preventive Detention of BJP Councillor Sugathan R Quashed Over Procedural Lapses Under KAAPA: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has set aside the preventive detention of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation Councillor Sugathan R under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 2007 (KAAPA), finding serious procedural lapses in the detention process. The petition was filed by his wife, Aswathi G R, challenging…
Judgment
Disability Does Not Extinguish Husband’s Duty to Maintain Wife, Kerala HC Upholds ₹10,000 Monthly Maintenance: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed R.P.F.C. No. 122 of 2024 and upheld an order directing the petitioner to pay ₹10,000 per month as maintenance to the respondent. The case arose from M.C. No. 137 of 2019 before the Family Court, Kottayam at Ettumanoor. The petitioner and respondent married on 1 August 2015. It was…
Judgment
YouTuber Thoppi Granted Anticipatory Bail, Kerala High Court Notes No Obscene or Sexually Coloured Remarks Were Directly Made by Him: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Muhammed Nihad @ Thoppi in a case registered by Manjeri Police in Malappuram district over alleged objectionable remarks and the unauthorised display of a woman's photographs and videos during a YouTube livestream. The order was passed by Justice Dr. Kauser…
Judgment
Bar Council Directed to Update List of Advocates Who Have Not Cleared AIBE Since 2021: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has directed the Bar Council of Kerala to update its list of advocates from 2021 onwards in relation to compliance with the All India Bar Examination (AIBE). The direction was issued by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V. M. on 23rd September, 2026. The…
Judgment
Domestic Violence Case Cannot Be Quashed Merely Due to Delay: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Mathews Wilson and Gracy Wilson, seeking to quash proceedings under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 pending before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-III, Thrissur. Mathews Wilson, aged 43, is the husband of Anu Mol, aged 38, while…
Judgment
Consensual Relationship Cannot Constitute an Offence Due to Failed Promise of Marriage, FIR Quashed: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court considered a case involving Zahid Shanavas, who was the sole accused in Crime No. 219 of 2026 of Vazhakkulam Police Station, Ernakulam. The case concerned allegations that he had sexual intercourse with the de facto complainant after promising to marry her and later asked her to abort a child…
Judgment
Married Woman Voluntarily Accompanying Man to Hotel Cannot Claim Sexual Relationship Was Induced by Promise of Marriage: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court at Ernakulam has quashed an FIR and all further proceedings against Habibur Rahman, the sole accused in a case registered at Kovalam Police Station. The case alleged that he promised to marry the de facto complainant, took her to a hotel on 3 November 2025, and had sexual intercourse with her…
Judgment
Love Relationship Has No Relevance When Victim Is a Minor, 10-Year POCSO Sentence Upheld: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed the criminal appeal filed by Reji and upheld his conviction and sentence in a case involving the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl. Justice A. Badharudeen delivered the judgment on September 1, 2026, holding that an alleged love relationship or consensual sexual activity has no…
Judgment
NIA Cannot Recover Salary Paid to Public Prosecutor During Deputation Based on Subsequent Pay Re-Fixation: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has delivered a significant verdict stating that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) cannot recover salary paid to a Public Prosecutor during his deputation period based on a subsequent pay re-fixation. The court observed that the pay fixed at the time of deputation and the subsequent…
Judgment
Christian Women Allowed to File Divorce Cases Where They Currently Reside: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has held that a Christian wife seeking dissolution of marriage can file her divorce petition before the District Court or Family Court having jurisdiction over the place where she is residing when the petition is filed. The Court clarified that this remains possible even if the marriage was…
Judgment
Reporting an Official Arrest Without Defamatory Intent Cannot Attract Criminal Case: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has quashed criminal defamation proceedings against the Chief Editor, Editor and Reporter of Malayala Manorama, holding that merely reporting an official arrest on the basis of an official occurrence report does not automatically amount to criminal defamation. The Court emphasised that the…
Judgment
Placing a Vibrating Device on a Minor Victim's Vaginal Opening Constitutes Penetrative Sexual Assault: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by a man convicted of sexually assaulting a minor girl in Ernakulam in 2019. The court confirmed the 10-year rigorous imprisonment awarded by the Fast Track Special Court, Perumbavoor, and upheld the conviction under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences…
Order
Clean Record for 8 Years Justifies Removal from Rowdy List, Says Court: Kerala High Court
Police cannot indefinitely retain a person in their rowdy list without present criminal activity, the Kerala High Court has ruled, while ordering the removal of a petitioner’s name and photograph from the rowdy list of Fort Kochi Police Station. The court applied the constitutional principles of reformation and…
Order
UGC Regulations Inadequate To Curb Ragging; Stronger Law With Harsher Punishments Required: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has urged the State Government to frame a stringent anti-ragging law with severe punishments for ragging incidents in educational institutions. Justice D.K. Singh, while disposing of two writ petitions, noted that although the UGC Anti-Ragging Regulations, 2009, issued under Section 26(1)(g) of…
Order
S.245C Income Tax Act Doesn't Require Prior Cut-Off Date; Pending S.153A/153C Notice Enough for Settlement Application: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has delivered a significant judgment on the interpretation of Section 245C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, specifically addressing the legal consequences following the abolition of the Income Tax Settlement Commission by the Finance Act, 2021. The judgment, pronounced by a Division Bench comprising…
Order
Unregistered Sale Agreements Are Admissible As Evidence In Suits For Specific Performance : Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court, in a landmark ruling on June 25, 2025, clarified that an unregistered agreement for sale, though compulsorily registrable under Section 17(1)(f) of the Registration Act, is still admissible as evidence in a suit for specific performance. The Division Bench of Justice Satish Ninan and Justice P.…
Order
Two Contradictory GST Orders Based on Same Allegations Not Legally Sustainable: Kerala High Court
In a critical judgment, the Kerala High Court on June 9, 2025, addressed a glaring error by GST authorities that resulted in two contradictory orders being passed for the same financial year 2017-18. The Court, presided over by Justice Ziyad Rahman A.A., ruled in favor of M/s. Winter Wood Designers & Contractors India…
Order
Death Row Convict Granted Escort Parole Despite Prison Rules, Citing Aged Mother's Critical Health: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court, in a significant humanitarian ruling, allowed a death row convict to visit his 93-year-old ailing and bedridden mother. The order came despite a clear statutory bar under Section 42 of the Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services (Management) Act, 2010 and Rule 339(2) of the Kerala Prisons and…
Order
Manager Can't Prosecute Under Section 138 NI Act in Personal Capacity If Cheque Is in Firm's Name: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has clarified a crucial aspect of Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1882, ruling that a manager of a company or firm cannot file a complaint in his personal capacity when the cheque in question is issued to the firm and not to him personally. The case was heard by Justice A.…
Order
Police Have No Right to Enter History-Sheeters' Homes at Odd Hours Without Just Cause: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court, in a significant ruling safeguarding the right to privacy, held that the police have no legal authority to enter the homes of suspects or 'history sheeters' at odd hours under the pretext of surveillance. The judgment was delivered by Justice VG Arun in the case of Prasath C v. State of Kerala &…
Order
IGNOU Degree Doesn’t Need Equivalence Certificate From State University: Kerala High Court
Justice D.K. Singh of the Kerala High Court has ruled that the insistence on obtaining an equivalency certificate for degrees awarded by UGC-recognized Central Universities such as Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is ultra vires of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956. The judgment came in response…
Order
S. 17 SARFAESI Act | Tenants Under Separate Lease Agreements Can File Joint Application Against Possession Notice: Kerala High Court
Kerala High Court recently ruled that tenants under different lease deeds can file a single consolidated Securitisation Application challenging the same secured creditor’s action under the SARFAESI Act. This decision was delivered by Justice Mohammed Nias C.P. in an Original Petition filed against the Registrar of the…
![[POCSO Act] Allegation Of 'Bad Touch' During Medical Exam Insufficient To Presume Doctor’s Sexual Intent: Kerala High Court](https://law4u.in/newsImage-location/newsImage5368.webp)
Order
[POCSO Act] Allegation Of 'Bad Touch' During Medical Exam Insufficient To Presume Doctor’s Sexual Intent: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court was hearing a petition filed by an octogenarian paediatrician who sought to quash criminal proceedings against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and Indian Penal Code (IPC). The doctor was accused of committing aggravated sexual assault on a 10th standard girl…
Order
Failure To Update Listing Date On E-Courts Portal No Fault Of Litigant, Appeal Dismissed For Non-Appearance To Be Reconsidered: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has directed the Rent Control Appellate Authority, Thiruvananthapuram, to reconsider a restoration application filed by a tenant whose appeal was previously dismissed due to non-appearance of counsel. The Court found that the failure was caused by non-updation of the Case Information System…
Delay in Challenging Family Court Orders in Matrimonial Disputes Can Be Fatal as Parties May Alter Their Marital Status: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has observed that delay in challenging orders passed by Family Courts in matrimonial disputes, particularly in matters relating to dissolution of marriage, can be fatal because parties may alter their marital status after the expiry of the appeal period. The Court emphasized that great care and…
About the Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court was established in 1956. It has jurisdiction over the state of Kerala and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
Seat
Ernakulam
State / UT
Kerala
Region
South India
