
Kerala High Court quashes KEAM 2025 rank list over last-minute prospectus change
The court observed that the timing of the decision 'appears suspect,' noting that 'prima facie, it appears that somebody looked at the results and found that students from the Kerala stream had not done fairly good, and to satisfy the constituency, such a mala fide decision in an arbitrary manner was taken.'The government had amended the prospectus on the day of the rank list release, changing the weightage ratio of marks in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry from the original 1:1:1 to 5:3:2. The court ordered the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations to publish a fresh rank list based on the unamended prospectus issued on February 19, 2025.'Such an exercise of power is wholly arbitrary, illegal, unjustified, and cannot be countenanced on any ground,' the court said while disposing of the petition.Reacting to the verdict, State Higher Education Minister Dr R Bindu said the matter would be discussed with the Chief Minister before deciding on the next course of action.- EndsTune InMust Watch
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New Indian Express
a day ago
- New Indian Express
Discrimination against SC community remains: Kerala High Court
KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has observed that despite protective provisions for Scheduled Caste communities in the Constitution and laws like the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, discrimination and ostracisation against them have not been fully eradicated. Justice V G Arun said the Scheduled Castes in India have faced systemic ignominy like exclusion, untouchability and violence rooted in centuries-old caste hierarchy. They had restricted access to resources, land and quality education. Still, the discrimination continues. 'One cannot be oblivious of the fact that the tolerance level of persons from vulnerable sections will not be the same as that of those who have not suffered any such ignominy. To put it pithily, only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches,' the court said. The HC made the remarks while dismissing a petition filed by C K Kusuman, former principal of DB College in Kottayam's Keezhoor, seeking to quash the case against him for allegedly making casteist remarks against an assistant professor in 2022. Advocate Thomas J Anakkallunkal, the assistant professor's counsel, said the principal made the comments with the deliberate intention of insulting him by reason of his parentage. The remarks were made during the staff meeting of the college, the counsel said. The court said the question of whether the insulting remark made inside the hall can be perceived as something done within public view can only be decided based on evidence, and the HC cannot conduct a mini-trial or microscopic scrutiny of documents.


New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
Stop the toll! Demand for exemption at ‘work-in-progress' NH stretches in Kerala
KOCHI: Taking cue from the Kerala High Court's remark that toll collection cannot be justified without installing adequate travel facilities, local body representatives and motorists are demanding toll exemption at the 'work-in-progress' national highway stretches in and around Kochi. They charge that travellers and local residents continue to be affected for long periods with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) having 'failed' to ensure either basic facilities or effective alternative measures. The stretches in question are the 17.12-km Container Road (NH 966A) connecting Bolgatty with Kalamassery and the 12.75-km Aroor-Thuravoor stretch of NH 66. While a Rs 100-crore project to give a major makeover to the accident-prone Container Road has entered the final stage, over 30% work on the six-lane elevated highway on the NH 66 stretch is pending. 'The authorities continuing to levy toll is unfair as they have not carried out the promised infrastructure work on Container Road,' Mulavukad panchayat president V S Akbar told TNIE. 'Only half of the promised 5-km long service road (at Mulavukad side) has been laid till date. They are yet to build the section beyond the police station. They had also promised an underpass at the northern end, key to Mulavukad residents' connectivity. Another assurance regarding a culvert at the police station area too hasn't been met. We've been demanding these key infrastructure facilities since 2019.' According to law, the toll can be collected only when all work is completed and the commuters enjoy free and smooth travel, Akbar pointed out. 'Local residents too should get proper facilities for mobility. Here, neither of that is happening. While they have relaid the road and set up a toilet complex, the promised truck bays are yet to be provided. Also, while 1,106 streetlights have been installed, the same are yet to become functional,' he said. The Container Road renovation, which has entered the final phase, has been 'progressing' for over a year now. Vehicles are still being diverted and motorists are able to use only a single-lane stretch, at least in three sections including the Mulavukad-Moolampilly section (nearly 3 km), resulting in traffic gridlock during peak hours. 'The authorities should provide exemption till the work, including that on arranging facilities for local residents, are over and the beneficiaries enjoy a seamless travel,' said M F Fahad, convener, NHAI Mulavukad Janakeeya Vikasana Samiti.


Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
When Maya Angelou's words found a way to Kerala courtroom: Political murder, a wedding, and parole
The Kerala High Court Friday granted parole to a person serving life imprisonment, saying that 'the court was looking at this case from the angle of that girl who decided to marry the convict'. Granting 15-day parole to Prasanth alias Kochi, a native of Thrissur, for his wedding slated to be held on July 13, Justice P V Kunhikrishnan said, 'This court cannot neglect the brave stand of that girl who is ready to marry the convict, even though she knows that her partner is in jail and is undergoing life imprisonment.' Prasanth has been convicted of a political murder that rocked Kerala in 2015. His mother, Sathy, had approached the high court after the jail authorities rejected her plea for parole. According to the prison rules, there is no provision for granting emergency leave to a convict for his wedding. The judge said he was exercising his extraordinary jurisdiction to grant parole for 15 days, looking not at Prasanth but towards the woman who is ready to marry because of her love and affection for him. She did not change her stand even after her partner was convicted, the court noted. 'Let that girl be happy, and this court shower all blessings upon her,' it said. 'Even after the convict was sentenced to undergo life imprisonment, her love continued. In other words, she says that 'you are my today, my tomorrow, and my forever.' She says that 'you are my soulmate, my partner, my best friend',' the court said. The judge quoted American poet Maya Angelou in his order: 'Love recognises no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.' Prasanth is among five RSS-BJP workers who were found guilty of murdering P G Deepak, who had left the party to join the RJD, in 2015. The incident was reported at Cherpu police limits in Thrissur. The prosecution had listed ten persons as accused, and a trial court had acquitted all of them. Subsequently, Deepak's wife Varsha appealed in the High Court, which on April 8 this year awarded life imprisonment to five among them. Prasanth's marriage was fixed before the verdict.