Man Convicted Of Rape & Murder Of Child In Aluva Moves Kerala High Court Challenging Conviction & Death Penalty

Asafak Alam, who was the sole accused in the Aluva child murder case, has moved the Kerala High Court challenging the conviction for rape and murder as well as death sentence by the trial court.The death sentence has not yet been confirmed by the High Court and is pending consideration as DSR No. 3/2025.Alam, stated to be from Bihar, was accused of sexually abusing a five-year-old girl in Aluva, and for murdering her. He was arrested one day after incident, on 29.07.2023, and has been in custody...

Kerala High Court Dismisses Plea Against CIAL's Decision To Conduct Online AGM, Says Centre Can Exempt Physical Meeting U/S 96 Companies Act

The Kerala High Court recently dismissed a plea challenging the decision of the Cochin International Airport Ltd. (CIAL) to conduct its Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) through online modes.Rejecting the petitioner's contention that the AGM has to be held either at the registered office of the Company or some other place within the city, town or village, Justice N. Nagaresh dismissed the writ petition. According to the petitioner, who was a shareholder of CIAL, such a virtual conduct of AGM was...

'Defeats Purpose Of Life Insurance': Kerala High Court Expresses Concern Over LIC's Denial Of Medical Claims On Trivial Grounds

The Kerala High Court has set aside the Life Insurance Corporation of India's (LIC) decision to repudiate medical insurance, holding that repudiation of medical claims by insurers cannot be sustained when based on unrelated pre-existing conditions or when raised beyond the statutory bar under Section 45 of the Insurance Act, 1938.Justice P.M. Manoj, delivered the judgment in two connected writ petitions, and quashed LIC's orders that had restricted and later rejected claims for the...

Revisional Powers U/S 56 KVAT Act Are Limited, Clarificatory Orders Have Only Prospective Effect: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court stated that revisional powers under Section 56 of the KVAT Act (Kerala Value Added Tax Act, 2003) are limited, and clarificatory orders only have a prospective effect. Justices A. Muhamed Mustaque and Harisankar V. Menon stated that with reference to the power to issue clarification under Section 94 of the Act, the Commissioner has been empowered to hold...

Voluntarily Filed Returns Cannot Be Revised Through Additional Evidence Under Rule 29 ITAT Rules: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court held that voluntarily filed returns cannot be revised through additional evidence under Rule 29 of the ITAT Rules (Income Tax (Appellate Tribunal) Rules, 1963). Rule 29 of the Income Tax (Appellate Tribunal) Rules, 1963 permits the Tribunal to admit additional evidence for any substantial cause. Justices A. Muhamed Mustaque and Harisankar V. Menon...

'Undermines Democracy': Plea In Kerala High Court Challenges BCI's 2400% Nomination Fee Hike For Contesting Elections To State Bar Councils

A writ petition has been filed before the Kerala High Court challenging the Bar Council of India's (BCI) decision to hike the nomination fee for State Bar Council elections from ₹5,000 to ₹1,25,000— a 2400% increase.The petition, filed by Advocate Rajesh Vijayan, enrolled in 1996 and a member of the Bar Council of Kerala (BCK) since 2019, argues that the decision is “arbitrary,...

Kerala Co-Op Societies Rules | Person Proposing Nomination Of Another Candidate Not Disqualified From Contesting Elections: High Court

The Kerala High Court recently held that there is no provision under the Kerala Cooperative Societies Rules that disqualified a person from contesting in an election merely because he proposed the nomination of another candidate in the same constituency.The judgment was rendered by Justice K. Babu, who was considering a writ petition challenging the rejection of the petitioner's candidature...

Kerala High Court Monthly Digest: September 2025 [Citations: 538 - 616]

Nominal Index: [Citations: 2024 LiveLaw (Ker) 538 - 616]Dr Vinodkumar Jacob v The Vice Chancellor and Anr and Connected Matter, 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 538C.P. Muhammed v. The Geologist and Ors. and connected cases, 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 539Bindhu Kuniparambath v. The Joint Chief Controller of Explosives and Ors., 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 540X v Abraham Mathai and Ors., 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 541Abdul Jabbar...

Kerala High Court Orders Bank To Return Loan Defaulter's Pet Cat Stranded Inside Seized House

The Kerala High Court recently passed an interim order directing the State Bank of India to return to the loan defaulter his pet cat, which was trapped inside his house over which the bank had taken possession.The petitioner submitted before Justice Mohammed Nias C.P. that his cat was stuck inside the house, the secured asset, over which the bank had taken possession.In the plea, the...

Kerala High Court Makes AI-Based Transcription Tool Mandatory For Recording Of Witness Statements From November 01

The Kerala High Court has directed that all trial courts in the state must mandatorily record witness depositions using the Adalat.AI speech-to-text transcription tool from November 1, 2025.The decision comes after a successful pilot phase that began on February 1, 2025, in select courts in Ernakulam, including the Additional District and Sessions Court (for trials relating to atrocities...

Assessments U/S 17D Kerala General Sales Tax Act Must Be Finalised Within Reasonable Time Despite Absence Of Limitation Period: High Court

The Kerala High Court stated that the assessments under Section 17D Kerala General Sales Tax Act must be finalised within a reasonable period despite the absence of a limitation period. Justices A. Muhamed Mustaque and Harisankar V. Menon stated that even when the statute does not provide for an outer time limit, the authority has to exercise jurisdiction within a reasonable time....

NCLT Approval Not Needed To Adjudicate Criminal Complaints In Cases Where Companies Were Wound Up By HC: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has recently held that the leave of the National Company Law Tribunal is not needed to proceed with criminal complaints in cases where the companies have been ordered to be wound up by the High Courts in accordance with provisions of the Companies Act, 1956.Justice Viju Abraham was considering a report filed by the official liquidator seeking permission to proceed with...