Kerala High Court invalidates 'deity & martyr' oaths; 19 Thiruvananthapuram Councillors retake pledge

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hours after the Kerala High Court invalidated their initial oaths for invoking personal deities and political martyrs, 19 BJP councillors of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation hurriedly retook their oaths of office "in the name of God" to retain their elected positions.

The high court had directed a total of 20 councillors to retake the oath, strictly adhering to constitutional norms. While 19 members, including Deputy Mayor Asha Nath, were sworn in by Mayor V.V. Rajesh, Vazhottukonam councillor R. Sugathan could not attend the ceremony as he remains under preventive detention under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA).

Swift mobilisation amid opposition outcry

Upon receiving the official copy of the high court order, Mayor V.V. Rajesh consulted legal experts and held discussions with the Corporation Secretary. Finding no legal hurdles to an immediate re-swearing, the administration sent urgent alerts to the councillors via WhatsApp and other channels around noon.

By 4:00 PM, the 19 councillors assembled at the Mayor’s office, and the ceremony commenced at 4:30 PM. The proceedings concluded within half an hour, after which the councillors dispersed.

However, the hurried nature of the event triggered a sharp political backlash. The opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) and United Democratic Front (UDF) skipped the event and hit out at the ruling, alleging that the ceremony was conducted clandestinely and violated standard procedural protocols.

Legal battle

The high court's intervention followed a petition filed by CPI(M) parliamentary party leader S.P. Deepak. The petitioner argued that the initial oaths taken by the 20 BJP councillors violated the explicit provisions laid down in the Kerala Municipality Act, which mandates swearing-in either in the name of God or through a solemn affirmation. The court ordered the rerun after finding clear deviations from the statutory format.

Congress member's 'Oommen Chandy' oath also struck down

In a parallel ruling, the Kerala High Court also invalidated the oath of Sunil Chuvattupadam, a Congress member representing the Panniyankara ward (Ward 21) of the Vadakkenchery Grama Panchayat in Palakkad.

Sunil had raised eyebrows by swearing "by the blessings of God in the name of [former Chief Minister] Oommen Chandy." Following the court's strict adherence to legal provisions, he has also been directed to retake his oath using the prescribed format.