Supreme Court Upholds Status Quo in Kerala Church Management Dispute

The Supreme Court ruled to maintain the status quo in the management of churches contested by the Jacobite Syrian Church and Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kerala. The bench decided further hearings are necessary, emphasizing the need for detailed discussion on this contentious legal and religious issue.

In a significant legal move, the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the status quo concerning the management and administration of churches embroiled in a longstanding dispute between the Jacobite Syrian Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kerala.

The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, emphasized its inability to enforce a previous directive from December 3, which instructed the Jacobite Syrian Church to transfer control of six churches to the Malankara Orthodox faction. The court stressed the necessity for a comprehensive hearing, scheduling further sessions for January 29 and 30, 2025.

This ongoing legal tussle hinges on a 2017 verdict, which mandated that over 1,100 parishes fall under the Orthodox Church's leadership, following the 1934 Malankara Church guidelines. Despite pronounced court orders from both the Supreme Court and the Kerala High Court, friction persists as the Jacobite faction faces allegations of obstructing access to Orthodox members.

(With inputs from agencies.)