SC decision on case of women’s entry into Sabarimala prompts mixed reactions

More than a decade after the Indian Young Lawyer’s Association filed a petition seeking lifting of ban on women’s entry in Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, a three-member bench of Supreme Court (SC) headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, referred the case to a Constitution Bench on Friday. The petition assailing the Rule 3 (b) of Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules, 1965, was filed in the year 2006 and the rule has been flayed on the grounds of violation of right to equality and discrimination on the basis of gender.

On March 7, 2008, the Court referred the case to a three-member bench. A hearing in the case was held only on January 11, 2016. In February 2017, the Court said it might refer the case to a Constitution Bench. Following it, the three-member bench including CJI Dipak Misra, Justice R. Bhanumathi and Justice Ashok Bhushan referred the case to a Constitution Bench on October 13, 2017.

Multiple opinions

Law, Life, Opinion, People, Religion

October 12, 2017

Solar scam: Opposition accuses Government of attempting to scar Vengara by-election

The Opposition parties on Wednesday alleged that the only motive for the State Government to announce its decision on solar scam on the same day of Vengara by-election was to scuttle the election process there.

They said that the Government’s move to announce the details of the Solar Commission report on the day of the by-polls was politically motivated. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that he was not afraid of the Commission’s findings and asked the Government to make the Commission report available to the public.

The need for a by-election arose at Vengara, an assembly constituency in Malappuram, after P. K. Kunhalikkutty resigned as MLA. He had got elected to the Lok Sabha from Malappuram, succeeding the late E. Ahmed. The candidates for the by-election were K. N. A. Khader ( Indian Union Muslim League), CPI (M)’s P. P. Basheer, K. Janardhanan (BJP), K. C. Naseer of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), two independent candidates Sreenivas and Hamza Karumannil.

Corruption, Law, Life, People, Politics

October 9, 2017

No one informed us about the renewal of EC for LPG terminal: Puthuvype Samara Samithi

The Puthuvype LPG terminal Virudha Samara Samithi has alleged that they were not informed about the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests’ decision to renew the environmental clearance (EC) for the upcoming LPG terminal.

The Samara Samithi leaders said that while a dispute was on, it was the offices concerned’s responsibility to inform about the renewal of EC through the Court. The LPG terminal project is facing the wrath of Puthuvype natives who are on an indefinite strike.

The Samara Samithi had filed an appeal before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) challenging the Union Ministry’s order granting the extension of validity of environmental clearance for the terminal. However, the Tribunal dismissed the appeal on the grounds of limitation. As per the NGT norms, the appellant must have approached the tribunal within 30 days of issuing the order. The NGT while dismissing the appeal pointed out that the Samara Samithi challenged the order 60 days after the date of communication of the order.

Environment, Health, Law, Life, People

October 3, 2017

Devastated by medical negligence, parents of deceased three-month-old fight for justice

“We will fight this battle until my kid is granted justice,” vows Remya, who has been engaged in an indefinite strike in front of the Secretariat seeking justice for her three-month-old daughter Rudra.

The baby died at Sree Avittom Tirunal Hospital (SAT) for women and children, located on the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College campus, on July 10, 2016, succumbing to kidney failure caused by sheer medical negligence. The parents of the baby and her three-year-old sister Durga have been seeking justice ever since the incident last year. Since the Government failed to bring the culprits before law, the family recommenced their indefinite strike in March 2017. The parents also performed Puja ceremonies with the medical records, in front of the Secretariat, during Navratri.

Remya, Rudra’s bereaved mother, speaks of the hardship her family has been going through to The Kochi Post. “When we took Rudra to SAT for the first time on July 14, 2016, she had only some rashes on her buttocks caused by the napkin. The doctors there said that there was nothing to worry and such cases even did not need medical help. But they anyway asked us to consult a skin specialist and following this we took Rudra to the Medical College on the same day.”

Crime, Health, Law, Life, People

September 25, 2017

Attack on Uber driver: State Motor Workers’ Union files complaint seeking women’s arrest

“I took up this job two years ago because I thought this would be a decent one. I felt since we were working affiliated to a company, there would be professionalism in passengers’ approach towards us. This incident compels me to feel otherwise. It is not the money that I lost to the hospital, but the shame I was subjected to that irks me,” says Shafeeq, the Uber taxi driver who was brutally beaten up by three women in Kochi on Wednesday morning.

Shafeeq is one among the many online taxi drivers who feel insecure owing to the work pressure and the meagre amount of money they collect at the end of the day. “It is the first time in my life I faced such a drastic situation. I am married and staying with my family which includes my wife, kid and parents. How can I face my family members having been beaten in the public by strangers for no reason. My mother fainted when she saw the video of the women beating me. How can a mother witness such a scene? I don’t think that I will be able to join work soon. My doctor asked me to take enough rest and then start work,” he said.

Shafeeq, along with the leaders of Kerala State Motor Workers’ Union held a press meet on Monday at the Ernakulam Press Club. The Union has filed a complaint with the Home Minister, Transport Minister, DGP, Transport Commissioner and Kochi City Police Commissioner, demanding to book the three women, who manhandled Shafeeq, for attempt of murder. It has also sought compensation for Shafeeq who faced the embarrassing situation, safety for all online taxi workers and more Government control on the exploitative foreign online taxi companies.

Crime, Daily, Law, Life, People

September 19, 2017

T. P. Senkumar case: State Government shelled out Rs. 20.14 lakh for its lawyers

Governments’ unwise decisions and policy firmness often end up in huge loss to the exchequer. One typical example is the T. P. Senkumar’s case in which the State Government had to spend lakhs of rupees in various ways. It is informed that the Government had to spend more than Rs. 20 lakh in the name of fees for the lawyers who appeared for the Government.

Senkumar while serving as the Director General of Police (DGP) in Kerala was removed from the position by the Government in April 2016. He was then appointed as the chairman of Kerala Police Housing and Construction Ltd and consequently Loknath Behra was appointed DGP.

Senkumar had appealed before the Central Administrative Tribunal and had maintained that his removal was against the norms of Kerala Police Act. According to the Act, the term for a DGP is two years. Senkumar had not served his period when he was removed. The officer had also approached the High Court but the verdicts by both of these institutions were against him. Later Senkumar filed a petition before Supreme Court which directed the Government to reinstate him.

Law, Politics

September 16, 2017

Nine-year-old turning HIV+: DMO says rare chances of infection during transfusion

As the row over the nine-year-old cancer patient from Alappuzha found infected with HIV following blood transfusion at Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Thiruvanathapuram, continues, former Health Minister V. S. Shivakumar has urged the Government to examine the situation scientifically and find out what exactly had happened. He further asked the Government to bear all the treatment expenditure of the victim.

The girl, an Alappuzha native, was diagnosed with acute leukaemia and has been undergoing treatment at RCC since March. She had undergone blood transfusion several times at the hospital which is an autonomous institution jointly established by the Government of Kerala and Government of India. The girl was found HIV positive in a blood test conducted in August after she underwent blood transfusion. Meanwhile, the parents of the child have been found HIV negative.

It is informed that there was a deliberate attempt by the RCC officials to hide the information about the infection.

Health, Law, Life, People

September 14, 2017

I said what I felt right, asserts Sebastian Paul

Amid scathing criticism arising from different corners against an article he wrote and published, South Live Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Sebastian Paul continues to be firm on his stand which was made clear in the article. The former MP and noted media critic had on Sunday published an article in which he justified the prominent figures visiting actor Dileep in prison who has been booked by the police in connection with the actress abduction case. The article published by the online portal South Live is titled ‘Sympathy is no crime; Questions should be raised for Dileep as well‘.

Reacting to those who came out against him, Sebastian Paul told The Kochi Post that he just said what he felt right. “I don’t claim my stand is the ultimate truth. I have always taken a stand in matters I felt pressing. When lawyers and journalists got engaged in a clash a year ago, I stood with the journo fraternity. That time people asked me why I took that stand even when I am a lawyer,” he chuckled.
“The same people asked why I argued for a Muslim when I raised my voice for Abdul Nasser Madani. I replied that it’s not the religion of the person, but it is the conscience that drives me while making opinions. I am a citizen who strictly believes in the constitution. The rights of a citizen ensured by the constitution protect him even in prisons. The culprits are awarded punishment only as per the rule. Even though the public wants to punish a culprit based on what they feel, the rule has its own way,” he said.

Crime, Featured, Law, Media, Opinion, People

September 6, 2017

Murder of Gauri Lankesh: A poisonous silencing of freedom

Activists, writers and journalists in Kerala warn the public to be vigilant against the communal, fundamentalist and fascist forces as the State mourns the brutal murder of Gauri Lankesh, a Bengaluru-based journalist. Fifty-five-year-old Gauri, who has been raising voice against the fundamental ideologies of Right wing politics in the country, was running a Kannada tabloid ‘Gauri Lankesh Patrike’. One of the last social media posts of Gauri was about the State’s secular fabric.

Leaders from various walks of life in Kerala opined that the murder clearly signals that the fascist powers have got a strong base in Indian society.

Well-known author and activist M. N. Karassery said that he heavily condemned the murder of the brave journalist. “Gauri Lankesh has taken firm stands in matters related to social fabric in a democratic system. Her father P. Lankesh was a mufti-faceted personality who was not just a journalist but a poet and filmmaker. The departure of Gauri is no doubt a loss to secularism and democracy. Because throughout her life and career, she has been upholding and propagating these fundamental ideals,” he said.

Crime, Law, Life, Opinion, People, Politics, Religion

September 5, 2017

Supreme Court likely to frame guidelines to rein in elected officials: Renjith Marar

With more cases of public servants making derogatory statements against women in public being notified, the Supreme Court of India will most probably formulate guidelines to regulate the behaviour of elected officials, said Supreme Court advocate Renjith Marar.

The bench led by Supreme Court Chief Justice Deepak Misra has allowed George Vattamkulam, the petitioner, to approach the constitution bench formed to decide on elected officials’ lewd statements in public.

The constitution bench was formed in the wake of UP Minister Azam Khan’s statement on Bulandshahr gang rape incident which shook the country in July last year. A 35-year-old woman and her daughter were brutally gang raped for more than three hours in front of the male members of their family by a group of highway robbers. The Minister had remarked that the incident was part of a ‘political conspiracy’ by the opposition parties. The constitution bench sought if the freedom of speech enshrined in the constitution could be controlled by Article 21 of the Indian constitution (protection of life and personal liberty) apart from article 19 (2) of the constitution (imposes reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech).

Law, Life, People, Politics

August 27, 2017

Conviction of self-styled ‘Godman’ dredges up his visits to ‘God’s own country’

While public life at the national capital and in Haryana has almost come to a grinding halt owing to the violence perpetrated by supporters of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, ‘God’s own country’ is in the mood of retrospection. A CBI special court had found the self-styled ‘Godman’ guilty of raping two followers in his Ashram in 2002.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s visits to Kerala and his varied connection with the high-profile business community in the State have always been celebrated and had triggered multiple reactions.

In January 2015, the Kerala Government had refused to provide ‘Z’ category security for the Dera Sacha Sauda leader during his visit to the State. He had arrived in Kerala in connection with his real estate business in the State and for sightseeing. The State Government at that time had informed the Union Ministry that the security protection could be provided only on the basis of payment for such ‘private visits’. Since there was no reciprocal arrangement between Haryana and Kerala with respect to the security cover, the State had asked the former to reimburse Rs.2 lakh spent for providing ‘Z’ category protection to the spiritual head.

Law, Life, People, Politics, Religion, Trending

August 25, 2017

High Court all for lowering curtain of Cinepolis

One of the popular movie theatres of Kochites is facing legal setback as a High Court Division Bench has upheld the District Collector’s order to close down Cinepolis multiplex operating on the sixth floor of Central Square mall. The multiplex has been operating in the building for the past two years.

The Central Square mall, one of the most loved hangout destinations of Kochites, was in a legal battle with the Fire and Rescue Services Department as the latter declined to provide the theatre the no-objection certificate (NOC) because it was functioning violating the National Building Code (NBC) and Kerala Municipality Building Rules. The NBC states that assembly units such as cinemas and auditoria cannot be allowed above the height of 30 metre.

The Cinepolis was above the permitted 30 metre and it is informed that when the mall administration approached the Fire and Rescue Services Department, it was denied NOC on the grounds of this clear violation of rules. According to the Fire and Rescue Services officials, the mall, by influencing the Corporation authorities, secured a stay against the Department’s objection.

Entertainment, Film, Law, Life, People