By our legal correspondent
Kochi, July 10 (IVC) The Honorable High Court of Kerala here on July 08 granted the State Government one more month for complying with its order to hand over Saint Thomas Syrian Church, Cherukunnam, Saint Mary’s Syrian Church, Mangalam Dam (Palakkad)and Saint Mary’s O Syrian Church, Erickinchira , to the Orthodox faction vicars.
When the contempt of court petitions against the Government for not implementing the court directive came up for hearing , Justice V G Arun observed that the Government needed to work out a plan of action for implementing the verdict. The court could not allow the practice of police personnel going up to the gate of the churches and returning after some time. The country was governed by the rule of law and the government was bound to ensure that rule of law prevailed in the State, the justice said.
The court warned that if the Government would not implement the order in a month, it would be forced to initiate contempt of court proceedings. the government submitted that it was working on it and would come out with an action plan. It was not able to implement the court order due to stiff resistance from a large gathering of the Jacobite faction members including women, children and the elderly. Hence the police could not use force to remove them.
