High Court Issues Notice On Plea Alleging Manipulation In CSI South Kerala Diocese Voter List

Justice Murali Purushothaman admitted the petition and directed notices to be issued to the respondents, including the CSI Synod, the South Kerala Diocese, and the election officials. The Court also ordered the Registry to call for a status report on the interim injunction application pending before the Principal Munsiff Court, Thiruvananthapuram.

The Court clarified that any elections conducted under Clauses B and C of the revised triennial election notification (2024–2027) would be subject to the outcome of the original petition.

The petition challenges the exclusion of the names of the petitioner from the electoral roll of the Manathottam CSI Church, a local congregation under the South Kerala Diocese. They contend that despite fulfilling all eligibility requirements which includes regular subscription payments and participation in Holy Communion, the defendants deliberately omitted their names from the list.

The plaintiffs initially approached the District Council and the Diocesan Council without success, but the CSI Synod, the church's supreme authority, intervened by appointing an inquiry commission headed by Rt. Rev. Chelliah, Bishop of Kanyakumari Diocese. The commission's report, submitted in March 2024, confirmed that the petitioners were eligible voters and directed that their names be included. The Synod subsequently accepted the report.

Despite this, the petitioners allege that the Election Officer and the local presbyter are proceeding with elections based on what they describe as an “invalid voters' list.” They argue this violates both the church's constitution and the binding Synod report

The matter has been posted for further consideration on October 17, 2025.

Case Title: Jovin Jose V J v Church of South India and Others

Case No: OP(C) 2354/ 2025

Counsel for Petitioner: Nikhil Sankar S

Click Here To Read/ Download Interim Order