Kerala govt appoints expert committee to prepare draft bill on curbing superstition and harmful rituals

KOCHI: The government has informed the High Court that it has appointed an expert committee to study and prepare a revised draft of the bill aimed at preventing superstition and harmful rituals. The court directed the government to specify the time frame within which the committee will submit its report.

The committee includes former Law Secretary and District Judge Sasidharan Nair, former DGP Jacob Punnoose, and Waqf Board Chairman MK Sakeer. According to an order issued by Home Secretary Biswanath Sinha, a new draft bill will be prepared based on the committee’s report.

The earlier draft, submitted in October 2019 by the Law Reforms Commission headed by Justice KT Thomas, was withdrawn by the government in July 2023, citing difficulty in distinguishing between faith and superstition. The Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham challenged this decision, and the petition is now being considered by a Division Bench led by the Chief Justice. The hearing has been adjourned to Thursday.

Despite the increase in deaths, black magic practices, witchcraft, and even human sacrifice, the government had been reluctant to turn the previous draft into law. Officials argued that it was impossible to clearly separate rituals from harmful practices and feared opposition from believers. The Home Department also maintained that exempting rituals that do not directly endanger life would not be practical.

Key provisions in the withdrawn bill
Death resulting from witchcraft or harmful rituals could lead to the death penalty; grievous injury could attract life imprisonment.
Practising or promoting superstition or harmful rituals would be punishable with up to seven years in jail and a fine of Rs 50,000.
Black magic, violent exorcism, animal sacrifice using cruel methods, and similar acts would be classified as criminal offences.