Kerala Minister, Ex-MLAs To Face Trial For Damaging Furniture In Assembly

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said CPM leaders from Kerala - minister Sivankutty and ex-MLAs - will face trial in a case relating to damage of furniture during protests in the Assembly in 2015. The court said the destruction of public property could not be viewed as equal to freedom of speech, and that to claim an exception to this law would betray the people's trust. The court also said the Kerala High Court had correctly held the evidence will be examined by the trial court. "There is no merit in the Kerala government's appeals," a two-judge bench of Justices DY. Chandrachud and MR Shah said as it delivered the verdict.