Latest news with #KeralaStateLegalServicesAuthority
The Hindu
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Draft Bill proposes anti-ragging cells in all educational institutions, police stations in Kerala
The draft Kerala Prohibition of Ragging (Amendment) Bill, 2025 has proposed the constitution of anti-ragging committees and squads and mentoring cells in all educational institutions and anti-ragging cells at all police stations of the State. The draft legislation, which has been forwarded to the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Kerala State Legal Services Authority on an instruction from the Kerala High Court, specifies that the head of the institution shall within 24 hours of receiving information or a complaint about ragging determine whether a prima facie case is made out for registering an FIR and further action. Subsequently, the student accused of ragging shall be suspended forthwith. The committee The anti-ragging committee, headed by the head of the institution, shall have representatives of faculty members, non-teaching staff, senior and fresher students, parents, civil and police administration, local media, and NGOs involved in youth affairs. The Station House Officer of the police station in whose jurisdiction the institution is situated shall be the ex-officio member of the committee, it has been proposed. The anti-ragging squad, which is nominated and headed by the head of the institution, shall carry out surprise raids and checks on hostels and other places vulnerable to the incident. A State-level monitoring cell for the control and elimination of ragging shall be formed, and a State-level nodal officer shall be appointed as head of the cell for the control and elimination of ragging. Protecting privacy The draft legislation proposes to prevent people from making any report or quote, or presenting comments on any victim of ragging in any form of media, which may have the effect of lowering his/her reputation or infringing upon their privacy. The identity of the victim, including his/her name, address, photograph, family details, educational institution, neighbourhood or any other details which may lead to disclosure of the identity of the victim of ragging, shall not be published, notes the bill which has made ragging a cognizable and non-bailable offence. Those found guilty of the offence shall be slapped with suspension, expulsion, rustication, withholding of results, debarring from exams and cancellation of admission. Grants, funds and scholarships of institutions failing to comply with the provisions of law shall be withdrawn. Also, their affiliation/recognition shall be withdrawn as prescribed by the UGC, notes the draft Bill. The court had directed the State to come up with stringent legislation following a few instances of ragging in institutions in Wayanad and Kottayam, which triggered public outcry.
The Hindu
13-07-2025
- The Hindu
Body shaming, forcing liquor and drugs, online ragging made punishable in Kerala draft anti-ragging bill
Body shaming, asking a student to do any act or perform something, which he/she will not do in the ordinary course and forcing a fresher to use tobacco, liquor and prohibited/scheduled narcotic substances will be deemed as an act of ragging, according to a draft bill being considered by the Kerala government. The draft bill, the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging (Amendment) Bill, has also brought 'any form of ragging committed through the internet or in any digital mode' under the ambit of the criminal act of ragging for which severe punishment has been prescribed. Ragging including any form of ragging committed through internet or digital mode shall be a cognizable offence. The drat Bill, while amending some of the key provisions of the principal act, Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, has widened its ambit to cover all the educational institutions including universities, deemed to be university, including teaching departments, higher educational institutions, schools and other institutions under general education department, elements and constituent units of such institutions, all their premises in Kerala. Also Read | Six students booked for ragging junior in Kerala's Kozhikode Teaching branches of all government departments, institutions of national importance established by an Act of Parliament, Central Universities, and all coaching and tuition centres have been brought under the definition of educational institutions. The draft legislation also covers academic and residential premises of all such institutions, besides the playgrounds, canteens located within and outside the campuses, bus stands, home stays, all means of public and private transportation facilities accessed by students for the pursuit of studies in such institutions in Kerala. A host of criminal acts committed as part of the ragging including abetment to ragging, criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, rioting, public nuisance, and committing obscene and sexual acts committed while ragging will come under the ambit of the draft Bill. Causing bodily harm during the act of ragging, stripping, theft, extortion, dishonest misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust, criminal trespass, criminal intimidation will also come under the scope of the Bill, according to the draft legislation. The State had witnessed a series of public protests following the death of J. S. Sidharthan, a 20-year-old student. He was found dead at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, in February 2024, allegedly following brutal ragging. Recently, the Kerala High Court had asked the State government to provide a copy of the draft Anti-Ragging (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to the Kerala State Legal Services Authority and the University Grants Commission on a petition filed by the Authority.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Time of India
Kochi tops in drug use among children, HC seeks solutions
The Kerala high court on Thursday orally asked the state govt whether there is any proposed action plan to curb the growing menace of drug use among children in Ernakulam city (police limits). The bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice C Jayachandran made the query while considering a batch of petitions, including one filed by Sumi Joseph of Ernakulam - a mother of school-going children - as well as Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) and others, seeking effective state intervention on the issue. According to an affidavit filed by the deputy secretary of the home department -- which included data from 2015 to 2024 -- Ernakulam city recorded the highest number of such cases, 53. Kottayam followed with 21 cases, Kozhikode city reported 12, Thrissur rural 9, Alappuzha 7 and Idukki 5. No cases were registered in Thiruvananthapuram city, Kollam city, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kannur (city and rural) or Kasaragod during this period. After examining the data and affidavit, the division bench observed that the authorities must focus their immediate attention on Ernakulam city. The court accordingly directed the Kochi city police commissioner to appear - either physically or virtually - by the next posting date to provide suggestions for a proposed action plan. The court also noted the lack of qualitative analysis in the affidavit such as studies identifying trends or reasons behind the data and therefore sought assistance of a senior police officer to focus specifically on Ernakulam. Additionally, the petitioner's counsel submitted that, according to their own findings, the situation in Ernakulam city is even more severe than the data suggests. The petitioner has collected relevant material, which will be handed over to the Kochi city police commissioner. The affidavit filed by home department deputy secretary T S Sindhu further stated the special drive titled Operation D-Hunt - led by the Ernakulam rural district police chief - is progressing vigorously across the state to combat the drug menace. The drive has resulted in significant seizures and is part of a multi-pronged strategy. So far, Janamaithri beat officers have identified 308 drug- or substance-addicted children. Besides, 341 children and adolescents have received counselling services, 112 have undergone de-addiction treatment and 142 have accessed teleconsulting services through the Chiri helpdesk which handles children's grievances and complaints. Additionally, 478 children have availed themselves of services offered by DDAD (digital de-addiction), DCRC (domestic conflict resolution centre) and 'Koottu' counsellors or psychologists during the past decade, the affidavit said.
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- The Hindu
HC seeks action plan to curb drug abuse among children
The Kerala High Court on Thursday orally asked the State government whether there was any action plan to curb drug abuse among children in Kochi city. The court also directed the District Police Chief (Kochi City) to appear in person or virtually by the next posting date to provide suggestions for an action plan. The Bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice C. Jayachandran made the query while considering a batch of petitions, including the one filed by Sumi Joseph of Ernakulam, a mother of schoolgoing children, the Kerala State Legal Services Authority and others, seeking effective government intervention to combat the menace. The Home department submitted an affidavit and data, which included data from 2015 to 2024, which showed that Kochi city recorded the highest number of such drug cases in Kerala - 53 in total. Reiterating that the authorities concerned needed to focus their immediate attention on Kochi city, the court said there was a lack of qualitative analysis in the affidavit, such as studies identifying trends or reasons behind the data. Furthermore, it sought the assistance of a senior police officer to focus specifically on the city. Ms. Joseph, who had collected materials pertaining to the issue, submitted that the situation in the city was more severe than what the data said. These will be handed over to the District Police Chief (Kochi City). The Home department's affidavit further states that the special drive titled 'Operation D-HUNT' is progressing vigorously across the State to combat the drug menace. The drive resulted in significant seizures and is part of a multi-pronged strategy. So far, Janamaithri Police beat officers have identified 308 drug or substance-addicted children. A total of 341 children and adolescents received counselling services, while 112 have undergone de-addiction treatment.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Time of India
Drug use among kids: Kochi city tops cases, Kerala high court asks if a plan is in place
1 2 3 4 Kochi: The Kerala high court on Thursday orally asked the state govt whether there is any proposed action plan to curb the growing menace of drug use among children in Ernakulam city. The bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice C Jayachandran made the query while considering a batch of petitions, including one filed by Sumi Joseph of Ernakulam — a mother of school-going children — as well as Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) and others, seeking effective state intervention on the issue. According to an affidavit filed by the deputy secretary of the home department -- which included data from 2015 to 2024 -- Ernakulam city recorded the highest number of such cases, 53. Kottayam followed with 21 cases, Kozhikode city reported 12, Thrissur rural 9, Alappuzha 7 and Idukki 5. No cases were registered in Thiruvananthapuram city, Kollam city, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kannur (city and rural) or Kasaragod during this period. After examining the data and affidavit, the division bench observed that the authorities must focus their immediate attention on Ernakulam city. The court accordingly directed the Kochi city police commissioner to appear — either physically or virtually — by the next posting date to provide suggestions for a proposed action plan. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The court also noted the lack of qualitative analysis in the affidavit such as studies identifying trends or reasons behind the data and therefore sought the assistance of a senior police officer to focus specifically on Ernakulam. Additionally, the petitioner's counsel submitted that, according to their own findings, the situation in Ernakulam city is even more severe than the data suggests. The petitioner has collected relevant material, which will be handed over to the Kochi city police commissioner. The affidavit filed by home department deputy secretary T S Sindhu further stated that the special drive titled Operation D-Hunt — led by the Ernakulam rural district police chief — is progressing vigorously across the state to combat the drug menace. The drive has resulted in significant seizures and is part of a multi-pronged strategy. So far, Janamaithri beat officers have identified 308 drug- or substance-addicted children. Besides, 341 children and adolescents have received counselling services, 112 have undergone de-addiction treatment and 142 have accessed teleconsulting services through the Chiri helpdesk which handles children's grievances and complaints. Additionally, 478 children have availed themselves of services offered by DDAD (digital de-addiction), DCRC (domestic conflict resolution centre) and 'Koottu' counsellors or psychologists during the past decade, the affidavit said.
