Munambam Commission not legal; HC quashes Justice Ramachandran Commission

KOCHI: The High Court quashed the Munambam Judicial Commission appointed by the government, citing it as illegal. The government appointed the Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair Commission to examine the Munambam Waqf land dispute. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas also observed that the government has not shown any interest in this matter.

The Waqf Protection Committee filed a petition seeking cancellation of the appointment of the commission. The Waqf Act states that the decisions of the Waqf Board cannot be questioned even in the civil and revenue courts. The government cannot review it either. Only the Waqf Tribunal has the authority to do so. The board declared that 404 acres of Munambam is Waqf property. The Farooq College management, which was in possession of the land, has questioned this in the Kozhikode Waqf Tribunal. The case is pending. The court also said that the government acted mechanically without proper consideration.

Appeal to be filed in the Division Bench

The government will file an appeal in the Division Bench of the High Court against the cancellation of the appointment of the commission. The procedures for this have been initiated in connection with the Advocate General's Office.

"The Judicial Commission has no role in the court proceedings. It was the government that appointed the commission and defended it in court. Let the government decide on further action."

- Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair

"It is the government that should provide justice to the coastal people of Munambam. The government should intervene immediately and take action."

- Sebastian Palakkal, Chairman of the Munambam Land Conservation Committee