Vellappally Natesan appeal: HC directs status quo on SNDP Board appointments

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court Division Bench has directed that the status quo be maintained in the appeal filed by Vellappally Natesan and Thushar Vellappally against their disqualification from the SNDP Yogam Board of Directors. This order effectively puts a hold on the implementation of a single-bench directive that had instructed the state government to nominate temporary directors.

The appeals and related petitions are set to be heard together this Monday by a bench consisting of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V.M. Shyamkumar. Although the Division Bench did not grant a formal stay on the Single Bench's order, it took note of the government’s submission that no steps have been taken to appoint new directors. This addressed the appellants' concerns regarding a potential takeover of the board while the legal challenge is still pending.

The initial disqualification of the governing body stems from a petition filed by Prof. M.K. Sanu and others. The Single Bench had ruled against the board on the grounds that they had failed to submit income and expenditure accounts for consecutive years and that the directors lacked the mandatory Director Identification Number (DIN) required under regulatory standards.