A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court led by Justice C.T. Ravikumar on Tuesday recused itself from hearing an appeal filed by the State government against a single judge’s directive to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Group Centre, Thiruvananthapuram to take over the Kothamangalam Marthoma church and its movables if the Ernakulam District Collector did not comply with court’s earlier directive in this regard by January 8.
The single judge’s order came on a contempt of court petition filed by the Vicar of the Orthodox faction against the Ernakulam District Collector for not complying with the court’s directives to take over the church and its properties.
The appeal
In the appeal, Ernakulam District Collector S. Suhas said that the directive was beyond the jurisdiction of the single judge. It amounted to interference with the sovereign power of the State over law and order issues.
In fact, the court could not give the power vested…
