Kerala High Court: Restored PIL seeking enactment of law against superstition and human sacrifice

The Kerala High Court in the case Kerala Yukthi Vadhi Sangham v. Union of India & Ors observed and has restored the Public Interest Litigation, PIL filed wherein seeking a direction to be issued to the State government to consider and take a decision with regards to the enactment and implementation of ‘The Kerala Prevention of Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices, Sorcery and Black Magic Bill, 2019’.
The Division bench comprising of Chief Justice S.V.N. Bhatti and Justice Basant Balaji in the case observed and has explained the reason for not been able to appear on the two previous instances, pursuant to which the court restored the said petition. In the present case, the plea was moved by registered cultural organization, Kerala Yukthi Vadhi Sangham in the wake of two horrific instances of human sacrifice of two women in Elanthoor, Pathanamthitta. Therefore, the State Law Reforms Commission headed by Justice K.T. Thomas in the case stated and has made its recommendations to the government on the bill in the year 2019. Further, the petitioner in the plead stated hat the State was continuously witnessing several incidents of crimes in connection with the superstitious beliefs. Thus, the same came to light several cases of human sacrifices and other types of assaults in connection with the superstitious belief of black magic and witchcraft and for the purposes of God’s grace, financial gains, getting jobs, resolving family problems, the birth of children, and for several other desires, some people are practicing black magic and witchcraft of which people who belongs to the downtrodden, and the children and women are mostly the victims in the matter.
The court in the case observed that the government was contemplating enactment of a legislation against human sacrifice and other such superstitious practices. Further, it has been informed by the State Attorney to the court that government has to contemplate whether to legislate on the matter, as several stages in the legislative process are being left.
Accordingly, the court dismissed the plea as no counsel for the petitioner.
Kerala Yukthi Vadhi Sangham, the petitioner had appeared before the Court.
The counsel, Advocate P.V. Jeevesh appeared for the petitioner.