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
Sexual Crimes Can't Be Settled On Compromise But 'Peaceful Family Life' A Humanitarian Ground If Accused & Victim Marry: Kerala High Court
In a significant legal development, the High Court of Kerala has ruled to quash the criminal proceedings against the accused in a case involving serious charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). This decision marks a notable departure from the…
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POCSO Act, Not Safe To Fasten Liability On Cop Who Waited To Record Informant/Victim's Statement Due To Unavailability Of Female Officer: Kerala High Court
Kerala, July 24, 2024: In a recent ruling by the Kerala High Court, a petition challenging the Special Judge's refusal to implead an investigating officer as an additional accused in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) case has been dismissed. The petition was filed by Hyder Ali, challenging…
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Person Can't Be "Tied Down" To Religion Of Birth, Court Permits Change Of Religion In School Certificates: Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling, the Kerala High Court upheld the right to freedom of religion by allowing two petitioners to have their religious status changed in their school certificates. This ruling reinforces the constitutional right to profess and practice any religion, as guaranteed under Article 25(1) of the Indian…
Judgment
Court commutes death sentence of man who killed minor nephews: Kerala High Court
In a recent judgment, the Kerala High Court has made a significant decision in the case of Thomas, who had previously been sentenced to death for his involvement in a heinous crime. This news report provides a comprehensive overview of the judgment, highlighting the key legal provisions, case details, and the court's…
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Court Grants Bail To 23-Yr-Old Unmarried Woman Accused Of Murder For Throwing Her Infant From Building To Conceal Birth: Kerala High Court
Kochi, July 22, 2024: In a significant development, the Kerala High Court, presided over by Justice C.S. Dias, granted bail to XXX, a 23-year-old woman, accused of infanticide. The case involves charges under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Case Background XXX, a resident of Vidy Nagar, Kadavanthra, Kochi,…
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Accused Cannot Unilaterally Ask Victim Or Witnesses To Undergo Narco Analysis & Lie Detection Test To Prove Defence Case: Kerala High Court
Ernakulam, Kerala: On July 11, 2024, the High Court of Kerala, led by Justice A. Badharuadeen, addressed a significant issue in a criminal case involving the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act). The case concerned the application of a Narco Analysis Test or Polygraph Test on key witnesses. This…
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Forcing Spouse To Continue Broken Marriage, Denying Separation Perpetuates Mental Agony And Constitutes 'Cruelty': Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling, the Kerala High Court has dissolved a marriage that had been in turmoil for several years, invoking Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act. The case involved John Doe, the appellant, and Jane Doe, the respondent, whose marriage had deteriorated beyond repair. Marriage Dissolution under Section…
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POCSO Act, 'Lifting Dhothi And Asking Minor To Measure Penis Amounts To Sexual Harassment': Kerala High Court
In a recent ruling by the Kerala High Court, the Honorable Justice A. Badharudeen dismissed a criminal revision petition challenging the dismissal of a discharge petition under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act). The case concerns allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct. Case…
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Can Doctors Be Prosecuted U/S 19(1) POCSO Act For Failing To Inform Police About Offence Against Minor Within Reasonable Time? Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling from the High Court of Kerala, Justice A. Badharuideen has granted relief to Dr. Radhakrishna S. Naik, the second accused in a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The court has set aside the order dismissing Dr. Naik's plea for discharge, resulting in his…
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BNSS Will Be Applicable To All Criminal Appeals Filed After 1st July: Kerala High Court Frames Guidelines
In a recent significant ruling, the High Court has clarified the procedural adaptability and continuity between the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC) and the BNSS (Bihar Narcotic Substances and Stimulants) provisions. This decision provides critical insights into how procedural errors, such as misquoting or…
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Refuses Bail, Family Booked For Cheating Depositors Found Involved In More Than 100 Other Cases: Kerala High Court
In a significant legal development, the Kerala High Court has refused bail to the accused in multiple economic offences under Section 409 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The case pertains to allegations involving a staggering amount of over Rs. 8.2 crore, with the accused facing charges of cheating depositors across…
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Rape Committed In Oman But Genesis Of Crime In India? Kerala High Court Says Centre's Sanction U/S 188 CrPC Not Required For Trial
In a significant legal development, the Fast Track Special Judge at Chengannur, Kerala, issued a detailed order under Section 227 of the Cr.P.C, pertaining to a case involving crucial legal considerations. The case, which was filed under Crl.M.P. No. 102/2023 in S.C. No. 1089/2022, has seen deliberations culminate in…
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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Section 233 BNSS Applies Only to the Same Offence, Cheating Case Not Stayed Pending Forest Investigation: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Roji Augustine, the first accused in Crl.M.C. No. 7404 of 2026, seeking to stay proceedings in C.C. No. 456 of 2022 until the final report was filed in O.R. No. 1 of 2021. The case arose from a timber transaction involving Rs.1.40 crore. According to the order,…
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Lawyer Cannot Swear Plaintiff’s Affidavit on Facts Beyond Personal Knowledge: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has set aside an order of the Munsiff Court, Chittur, allowing the production of additional documents in a partition suit after finding that the plaintiff's lawyer had sworn an affidavit beyond his personal knowledge. Justice Easwaran S. delivered the judgment on September 10, 2026, in O.P(C)…
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John Doe Suits Cannot Be Blocked by Procedural Technicalities When Defendants Are Unknown: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has directed the Principal Munsiff Court, Ernakulam, to number a suit filed by M/s Cubes Entertainments over an online review of the film “Kattalan”. The order was passed on 14 September 2026 by Justice Easwaran S. in OP(C) No. 2655 of 2026. The petition challenged the refusal of the Munsiff…
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
