Supreme Court directs Jacobite group to hand over churches to Malankara faction

Supreme Court directs Jacobite Syrian group to hand over church administration to Malankara Orthodox Syrian faction in Kerala.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (December 3, 2024) directed the Jacobite Syrian group to hand over the administration of six churches in Ernakulam and Palakkad districts of Kerala to the Malankara Orthodox Syrian faction in compliance with apex court judgments and the 1934 constitution of the church.

A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyyan however asked the Orthodox group to give an undertaking that public facilities in these parish churches, including burial grounds, schools and hospitals, would be open to all members of the community.

These facilities must be accessible [to all members of the community] as per the 1934 constitution, but without insistence on any pledge of allegiance to this constitution and also subject to the Supreme Court’s directions.

The apex court listed the case after two weeks while voicing hope that both groups would celebrate Christmas in peace and harmony.

The Bench was hearing special leave petitions filed by Kerala government officials, the State Police and also members of the Jacobite group against a direction of the Kerala High Court to the district administrations to take possession of the six churches.

The top court said the Jacobite group was undoubtedly in contempt for having willfully disobeyed two judgments of the Supreme Court, in 2017 and 2020, which had directed the Jacobite faction to hand over the administration of the Malankara’s numerous parish churches to the Orthodox group in accordance with the 1934 constitution.

“Consequently, we direct the petitioners (Jacobite section) to hand over the administration (only) and submit a compliance affidavit, failing which necessary consequences shall follow,” the apex court ordered.