KOCHI: The Kerala High Court dismissed the plea of Asha Lawrence, daughter of dead CPM leader M M Lawrence, demanding to hand over her father’s body to bury as per Christian rites. A division bench of the high court upheld the action of donating the body to Kalamassery Medical College.

A bench of Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S Manu also dismissed the plea filed by another daughter, Sujatha Boban, on the same demand. The daughters approached the high court division bench against the high court single bench verdict to hand over the body for medical studies. The body of senior CPM leader, who passed away on September 21, is still in Kalamassery Medical College.

In the context of dismissing the plea, the court did not give them time to approach the Supreme Court. The court stated that there have been several legal issues in this matter and that there should be an end to it. The court clarified that a stay on the implementation of the verdict can be sought, but it will not be granted. This is expected to be the final decision regarding the body of Lawrence, which has been kept in the morgue for about three months.