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
Mechanically Implicating Doctor Under Section 21 POCSO Act For Failing To Report Crime Against Minor Is 'Absolute Injustice', Causes Mental Trauma: Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling, the Kerala High Court has quashed the prosecution against Dr. T. Ambujakshi, a 68-year-old gynecologist, who was accused of failing to report a case under the POCSO Act after examining a minor victim, and of performing an abortion without the victim's consent. The case, filed under Section 21…
Order
Stop Memo For Dry Land (Purayidom) Cannot Be Issued By Village Officer Under Section 12 Of Paddy Land Act: Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling regarding land classification and reclamation, the Kerala High Court has quashed a stop memo issued by a Village Officer under the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008 (hereafter referred to as "the Act, 2008"). The court addressed the intricacies of land ownership,…
Order
Industrial Land Allotments Should Not Be Cancelled Based On Hyper-Technical Grounds: Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling, the Kerala High Court has allowed an appeal concerning the allotment of industrial land, quashing an order issued by the state Department. The case revolves around an industrial land dispute between the appellant, M/s. Mother’s Rice Mill, and the Kerala Industrial Development Corporation…
Order
The Assessing Officer in an Income Tax case is not just a decision-maker but also an investigator. They cannot disregard claims without conducting a proper inquiry: Kerala High Court.
In a significant judgment, the High Court of Kerala has upheld the revision of an assessment order passed by the Income Tax Department under Section 263 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The appeal was filed by Cochin International Airport Ltd. (the appellant), a company engaged in operating and maintaining Cochin…
Order
Challenge Against Dismissal Of Coast Guard Officer Over Vessel Collision Causing Deaths Of Fishermen Rejected: Kerala High Court
In a significant judgment involving the Coast Guard Act, the Kerala High Court addressed the case of Commander Harisankar V. Menon (hereafter referred to as "the petitioner") against the decision of the Coast Guard authorities regarding his dismissal from service following an incident involving the death of six…
Order
Doctors Shouldn't Be Mechanically Implicated Under POCSO Act For Failing To Report Offences: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has recently quashed the prosecution of Dr. T. Ambujakshi, a 68-year-old gynecologist, who had been accused of failing to report a case of child sexual abuse and performing an abortion without consent. The case, involving a minor victim, had been filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual…
Order
Smoking Habit Of 16-Year-Old Sexual Abuse Survivor Not Indicative Of Deviant Character, Conviction Under Section 377 IPC Upheld: Kerala High Court
In a landmark case, the Kerala High Court has upheld the conviction of two individuals, Abdul Salam and Subair, under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for committing unnatural sexual acts on a minor. The court confirmed the original verdict, dismissing the appeals filed by the accused. This case sheds light…
Order
Geographical Limits On Prisoner Visits To Family Do Not Violate Fundamental Rights: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has ruled that geographical restrictions on prisoners' visits to their relatives, when accompanied by police escorts, do not violate the fundamental rights of prisoners. This was held in the case of BG Krishnamurthy vs. State of Kerala & Ors. Geographical Restrictions Upheld According to the…
Order
Interim Anticipatory Bail Granted To Reporter TV Editors, POCSO Case Against Journalists Questioned: Kerala High Court
The High Court of Kerala recently passed a significant order in the bail application filed by two editors associated with the Malayalam news channel, ‘Reporter.’ The case relates to Crime No. 41/2025 registered at Cantonment Police Station, Thiruvananthapuram, under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act…
Order
Insurance Claim Denied To Diocese Over Priest's Death: Kerala High Court
In a recent decision, the High Court of Kerala addressed the issue of whether a diocese can claim compensation for the death of a deceased priest in a road traffic accident. The case involved an appeal by The New India Assurance Co. Ltd. against an award passed by the Additional Motor Accident Claims Tribunal-II,…
Order
State Questioned On Guidelines Regarding 2010 Ban On Public Meetings On Roads: Kerala High Court
A contempt case, Contempt Case (C) No. 112 of 2025, was filed in the High Court of Kerala on 17th January 2025 by Adv. Kulathoor Jaisingh, who sought the Court’s intervention regarding the non-compliance of a prior judgment delivered on 23rd June 2010. The petition was heard before Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and…
Order
Judicial Declaration Of Sale Deed's Validity Before Loan Sanction On Minor's Property Sold Without Approval Not Arbitrary: Kerala High Court
In a recent ruling, the Kerala High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by petitioners Yamuna Kumari and Aswathy, challenging the refusal of a housing loan by the State Bank of India (SBI) and seeking a declaration that a sale deed (Ext.P1) executed in favor of the second petitioner is valid. The case revolves…
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
