Kerala High Court Rules On Malankara Church Disputes

The court was considering one of several petitions demanding police protection in order to perform religious services at Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church churches due to a disagreement between the Orthodox and Jacobite factions over the constitution to be implemented.

Whilst Orthodox faction adheres to the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church's 1934 Constitution, the Jacobites argue that the church should be ruled by a 2002 constitution that they established, as well as a new sabha called the Yacobaya Suriyani Christiani Sabha.

The dispute was finally resolved in 2017 when the Supreme Court ruled that the 1934 constitution would be maintained in Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church churches.

Justice Devan Ramachandran has stated that no church under the Malankara Sabha will be allowed to act in violation of the 1934 Constitution, and that anyone who does so will meet the wrath of the law. Justice Ramachandran stated that he does not want to send police officers into churches to maintain peace and order, but that if he is forced to do.

The judge declared that there are no factions, right at the start of the hearings. There is simply one church in the area. The fights will continue unless you stop naming them factions.

According to the court, no vicar, member of the clergy, or church committee member designated by the 1934 Constitution can be prevented from entering the church to carry out their duties. It went on to say that even parishioners who are members of the Malankara sabha are allowed to visit the church.

The court stated that the government cannot be blamed since it has constraints, but that the people must recognise that they cannot continue in this manner because they are not getting anywhere.

However, they must comprehend that they are not engaging with extraterrestrials. It's our own folks we're dealing with. The court subsequently scheduled a hearing for October 5, at which time the parties must state their respective positions.