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Pinarayi Vijayan Faces ED Summons, Making History in CPI(M)

Keralas former CM Pinarayi Vijayan becomes the first CPI(M) Politburo member to receive an ED summons amid ongoing controversies. Pinarayi Vijayan Faces ED Summons, Making History in CPI(M)

Daily Kiran 17 Oct 2026 1:24 am

Kerala Athletes Manu Francis and Prince Noble Return Home to a Heros Welcome After Asian Games Silver

Athletes Manu Francis and Prince Noble return to Kerala after winning silver in sailing at the Asian Games, celebrated by family and friends. Kerala Athletes Manu Francis and Prince Noble Return Home to a Heros Welcome After Asian Games Silver

Daily Kiran 17 Oct 2026 12:53 am

Geopolitical tensions, erratic weather cloud Keralams foreign tourism outlook

Tourists displaying heightened awareness of and responsiveness to real-time updates on costs, safety, and climatic conditions is adding to the challenges for States such as Keralam

The Hindu 17 Oct 2026 12:38 am

Keralam Lok Ayuktha seeks files of helicopter rental deal and travel of Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan

A Division Bench of the anti-corruption body consisting of Lok Ayuktha N. Anilkumar and Upa Lok Ayuktha Ashok Menon sought the details on a petition filed by social activist K. M. Shajahan

The Hindu 17 Oct 2026 12:37 am

BJP-Yuva Morcha march to Keralam Assembly turns violent, police use tear gas

The BJP and Yuva Morcha organised the march over alleged irregularities in the Kerala Public Service Commission, including delays in recruitment to government jobs

The Hindu 17 Oct 2026 12:16 am

Probe Agency ED Summons Pinarayi Vijayan In Money Laundering Case

The Keralam Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) recently registered two FIRs against Vijayan and his family members in connection with the alleged CMRL bribery case.

NDTV 17 Oct 2026 12:09 am

Youth of the country on the verge of building a new India, says Prakash Raj in Keralams Thiruvananthapuram

Actor-activist addresses the event Jantar Mantar@ Manaveeyam Veedhi, urges the youth to keep their fight going with a smile

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 11:34 pm

QR code fraud: police register case against six toll plaza employees in Kozhikode

According to the police, the employees allegedly targeted vehicles without FASTag and displayed QR codes linked to private accounts to collect toll payments instead of routing them through the authorised system

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 10:19 pm

Political intentions behind ED case against Pinarayi Vijayan: M.V. Govindan

CPI(M) leader alleges that the UDF government, led by Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan, is aligning with the ED, which is handling the case with clear political motives

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 10:01 pm

Contractors should be held responsible for decrepit P&T apartments: Kerala High Court

Justice Devan Ramachandran asks why taxpayers money should be spent on rectification of the apartments; District Collector says IIT Madras study found building not unsafe but in need of immediate rectification; amicus curiae flags leakage, septic tank overflow, corrosion and inadequate clearance from a 110 kV power line

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 9:54 pm

N. Sakthan Deputy Leader of Congress in Keralam Assembly, Mathew Kuzhalnadan party Chief Whip

M. Vincent was elected secretary, and T.J. Vinod was elected treasurer

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 9:30 pm

Differences crop up in Congress over Keralam governments 'soft approach' in CMRL-Exalogic pay-off case

At the Congress parliamentary party meeting, Mathew Kuzhalnadan raises the State governments wait-and-watch approach through a preliminary inquiry. He says the observations of the HC have proved that the State govt.s stance was wrong. Senior leaders say a hasty FIRwould have enabled the LDF to level allegations of a deal with the BJP

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 9:17 pm

Differences crop up in Congress over Keralam governments 'soft approach' in CMRL-Exalogic pay-off case

At the Congress parliamentary party meeting, Mathew Kuzhalnadan raises the State governments wait-and-watch approach through a preliminary inquiry. He says the observations of the HC have proved that the State govt.s stance was wrong. Senior leaders say a hasty FIRwould have enabled the LDF to level allegations of a deal with the BJP

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 9:17 pm

Kerala HC disposes of petition seeking Vigilance inquiry into appointment of bodybuilders to police force

Petitioner K.M. Shajahan alleges irregularities in the appointments during the previous governments term; government is re-examining the Cabinet decision to appoint the two bodybuilders, court told

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 9:10 pm

Kerala HC disposes of petition seeking Vigilance inquiry into appointment of bodybuilders to police force

Petitioner K.M. Shajahan alleges irregularities in the appointments during the previous governments term; government is re-examining the Cabinet decision to appoint the two bodybuilders, court told

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 9:10 pm

Lawyers boycott courts in Thiruvananthapuram in protest against alleged police assault on senior advocate

A protest rally was organised under the leadership of the Thiruvananthapuram Bar Association at the Vanchiyoor Court complex

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 8:57 pm

Keralam govt. to consider special rehabilitation package for P&T flats residents

Residents have sought title deeds, having been allowed occupancy on the Greater Cochin Development Authority land; technical committee found that the contractor had failed to complete the construction work as per the contract, says Minister

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 8:54 pm

CPI(M) extended Kannur district committee meeting on Oct. 25, 26

A mega rally to be attended by over one lakh people would be held at the Kannur collectorate ground on the evening of October 26

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 8:41 pm

CPI(M) hartal disrupts normal life in Idukki

The hartal was called over several land-related issues, including the Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) demarcation, the governments move to reclassify Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR) lands as forest areas, and proposed wild elephant corridors in the district

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 8:40 pm

Pinarayi Vijayan terms Sudha Pillai committee report on KIIFB a mere political document

Development projects valued at 40,000 crore have completed through KIIFB, says the Leader of the Opposition of Keralam. He says the State will resist any attempt to scuttle KIIFB

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 8:32 pm

Keralamexamining implications of granting deemed-to-beuniversity status for aided colleges

Minister Roji M. John says a proposal to establish a campus of the United Nations University in the State is under the governments consideration.

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 8:31 pm

Supreme Court to examine if court fees without upper limit amount to tax

The Supreme Court will examine whether uncapped ad valorem court fees amount to taxation while hearing a plea challenging Kerala's 2025 court fee hikes and the absence of a ceiling

Business Standard 16 Oct 2026 8:13 pm

Vigilance Raids Vaikom CI Over Alleged Bribery Network

Kerala's Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau conducted a surprise inspection at the Vaikom Circle Inspector's office following allegations of bribery. The officer is accused of using a bank account opened in an Assam native's name to receive illicit payments from the soil mafia, lorry operators, and criminal accused, with Rs 2.28 lakh reportedly credited within a month.

Rediff 16 Oct 2026 8:10 pm

Blood donation camp held at Govt. Cyberpark

Of the 96 people who registered, 75 donated blood at the camp held at the Cyberpark campus.

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 8:07 pm

DUK retains 4-star Institutions Innovation Council rating

The university secured the 4-star rating for the second consecutive year.

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 8:03 pm

Missing 15-year-old school student found dead in Kasaragod lodge

The deceased was a student of a school at Vemballur in Thrissur district. The Kasaragod Town police registered a case of unnatural death and launched an investigation.

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 8:00 pm

Ex Keralam CM fears arrest in CMRL payoff case; SC may hear in Dussehra holidays

Vijayans petition said grave prejudice and irreparable harm would be caused to him if the FIR was acted upon by law enforcement agencies

The Hindu Businessline 16 Oct 2026 7:58 pm

Youth arrested on charge of 18-year-old girls murder in Keralams Idukki district

The police recovered the charred remains of the girl from near the Pambla dam in Idukki

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 7:56 pm

As pet population rises in Keralam, KVASU steps up dog handler training

The universitys six-week programme covers canine behaviour, obedience, safe handling and animal welfare laws; it also aims to address the shortage of qualified trainers and reduce pet abandonment linked to behavioural problems

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 7:48 pm

Keralam to extend full support to renovation of Parvathy Puthanar

The project has the potential to integrate the waterway with other main lakes and rivers in the State as part of the Mission Samudra project, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan .

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 7:29 pm

Police can break bones but not satyagraha: Rahul Gandhi slams police 'brutalities' against students

We will pursue every legal route against the officers responsible, in Kerala, in Rajasthan and in the courts. Brutality by Amit Shah's Delhi Police will not go unchecked, the LoP said

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 7:29 pm

Railways to operate 148 special trains for Sabarimala pilgrimage season

Minister Kodikunnil Suresh the decision aims to ensure seamless travel infrastructure for thousands of Ayyappa devotees converging in Kerala during the peak pilgrimage period.

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 7:11 pm

Railways to operate 148 special trains for Sabarimala pilgrimage season

Minister Kodikunnil Suresh the decision aims to ensure seamless travel infrastructure for thousands of Ayyappa devotees converging in Kerala during the peak pilgrimage period.

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 7:11 pm

Kozhikode Corporation re-adopts Central Market demolition resolution

Kozhikode Corporation Council had approved the resolution at its meeting on July 15, 2025, but failed to communicate the decision to the State government, whose approval is necessary as the building is not considered dilapidated

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 7:00 pm

The Elephant Ownership Exception: A History of Protection and Possession

In 1963, private forest owners in Malabar challenged provisions of the Kerala Forest Act, 1961 (Act IV of 1962). The question before the Court was whether the State could deprive forest owners of their existing right to capture and own elephants found on their land. In Kuppathode Madhavan Nair v State of Kerala (1963), the Kerala High Court sided with the owners. Applying common-law principles inherited from the colonial period, it held that ownership of land conferred a qualified right over wild animals found there ( ratione soli ), including the right to capture them and claim them as private property. Within a decade, the Indian Parliament would enact a national conservation law and the Constitution would soon expressly recognise duties towards forests, wildlife ( Article 48A ) and living creatures ( Article 51A(g) ). Even though the elephants legal status would change profoundly as both a Schedule I animal in law and a National Heritage Animal, a symbol of the country itself, the owners place in her life would prove much harder to dislodge. Elephants, forests and capture The Malabar litigation belonged to a much longer history in which protecting elephants and putting them to work were closely connected. In Elephants and Kings: An Environmental History (2015), Thomas R. Trautmann, a historian and anthropologist, explains how the military value of elephants gave Indian rulers an interest in preserving wild populations and the forests that sustained them, even as they continued to capture individual animals. Academic Natasha Nongbris 2003 study of nineteenth-century Northeast India shows how colonial authorities regulated capture of elephants through licences, leased grounds and royalties. The forest was not simply a place where elephants lived. It was also the source of successive generations taken into captivity. Preserving wild elephant populations and capturing individual animals became part of the same policy which gave birth to the Elephant Preservation Act, 1879, a national law modelled on the regional Madras Wild Elephant Preservation Act, 1873. It was arguably the first national law on Elephants in British India enacted with the ostensive realisation that a live elephant was more valuable than dead. The policy as preservation, not conservation, was instrumentalised to preserve the source the elephant in the forest, to allow for its simultaneous extraction from it to feed the rising demand for captive elephants. Among the important establishments in this system were Dacca, now Dhaka, and Mysore , both associated with khedda operations in which wild elephants were driven into stockades and subdued with the help of trained elephants. The Dacca establishment drew upon the Garo Hills and other northeastern forests, while the Mysore operations captured elephants from the forests of southern India. These regional systems of capture existed alongside wider networks of trade. The Sonpur fair in Bihar , already an important elephant market in the nineteenth century, connected elephants captured in the Northeast with buyers from elsewhere in India. Against this background of an extensive elephant trade, the forest-owning timber merchants in Kuppathode Madhavan Nair asserted their right to capture elephants and put them to work within a legal order that still accepted their removal into human service. The shift in constitutional law The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 introduced a national framework for conservation, prohibiting the hunting of the most protected species. Yet the elephants initial classification revealed how much of the older world remained. She appeared in Schedule II, Part I as special game, whose hunting which included capture could be licensed, while Section 2(6) included domestic elephants, curiously for a wildlife law, in its definition of cattle. The changes of the next five years gave the law a different direction. The Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976 , passed during the Emergency, is remembered for weakening fundamental rights and curbing the powers of the courts. Yet it left a curious and enduring legacy in the protection of the environment and animals. Even during the darkest period of Indira Gandhis leadership, her concern for the natural world found expression in the Constitution. The amendment inserted Article 48A, directing the State to protect the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife, and Article 51A(g), making it the duty of every citizen to protect the natural environment and to have compassion for living creatures. These duties gave constitutional weight to the responsibilities we owe to the non-human world. In October 1977, months after these provisions took effect, the elephant was elevated to Schedule I , bringing her capture within the highest level of statutory protection. In 1986, amid growing concern over the killing of elephants for their tusks, Parliament prohibited domestic trade in Indian elephant ivory. In 1991, following stronger international restrictions under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna, it extended the prohibition to imported ivory, which traders had been using as a cover for selling ivory from poached Indian elephants . That year, Parliament also removed the Acts definition of cattle, which had included domestic elephants. It introduced livestock in its place, expressly excluding protected wild animals. Yet these changes did not bring private ownership of elephants to an end. Under Sections 4042, people in lawful possession of elephants could declare them to the authorities and obtain certificates recognising their ownership after an inquiry. Even as the law strengthened protection for elephants and restricted the trade in their ivory, it continued to recognise that a living elephant could remain someones property. The 2002 amendment: live elephant ownership exception and the prohibition on sale A 2002 amendment to the Act (which became effective from 2003) tightened restrictions on private ownership of protected captive animals. However, it expressly exempted live elephants. Although the newly introduced Section 43 prohibited transfers for any commercial consideration, a person could still acquire an elephant and pass her to another owner with the necessary permissions. This left an opening for sales disguised as gifts. In the years that followed, animal protection organisations documented how this distinction enabled trade to continue. At the Sonpur Mela in Bihar, where elephants had long been bought and sold, transactions were now presented as gifts. Researchers even recorded owners carrying blank gift deeds to transfer possession. These practices formed part of the challenge brought to the Supreme Court in 2014 by the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (WRRC) and others in W.P.(C) No. 743 of 2014. Still pending twelve years later, the WRRC case has become a central proceeding through which the Court supervises the treatment and regulation of captive elephants. Although the Court imposed no blanket prohibition, the continuing proceedings, notices to forest departments in every State with captive elephants, and numerous interim orders largely halted the trade. These included a nationwide census and checks on ownership certificates , welfare inspections at tourist resorts in Goa , and an order blocking Keralas attempt to regularise 289 elephants held without ownership certificates and restraining their transfer. The Courts scrutiny of ownership papers and transfers had made the trade harder to carry on. A 2021 case in Guwahati High Court confirmed the concerns raised by WRRC before the Supreme Court in 2014. In April 2021, forest officials at Doomdooma in Assams Tinsukia district intercepted two elephants travelling from Arunachal Pradesh to Odisha, ostensibly for religious purposes. Their investigation went beyond the ownership certificates and transport permissions. In a recorded statement, the claimed owner described bank payments of 9 lakh and 17 lakh from an intermediary who had also arranged the documents. He could not identify the receiving religious institution. In State of Assam v. Sri Chow Sonjit Pomong (2021), the Gauhati High Court found prima facie evidence of a commercial sale and set aside the order releasing the elephants to the claimed owner while the investigation continued. The elephants were reported to be in the Forest Departments custody at Kaziranga National Park. The 2022 amendment: religious and other purposes In December 2021, the Central Government introduced the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021 , which went considerably further than the amendment eventually enacted. It proposed exempting transfers of live elephants by ownership certificate holders from Section 43 altogether, subject to government permission and prescribed conditions. This would have removed the prohibition on commercial transfers for those elephants, allowing them to be openly bought and sold again. The pressure for change came particularly from Kerala, where temple authorities and private elephant owners associations were seeking easier acquisition and interstate transfer of elephants. In my view, the elephant provision in the 2022 amendment must be understood as an attempt to loosen the practical restraints that the Supreme Courts scrutiny in the WRRC case had helped impose. Following objections from conservation and animal protection organisations, the Parliamentary Standing Committee chaired by Jairam Ramesh recommended deleting this proposal. In April 2022, it suggested a narrower provision allowing transfers of existing captive elephants for religious institutions, with additional safeguards. The version Parliament ultimately enacted extended this to transfers for a religious or any other purpose , subject to conditions prescribed by the Central Government. The prohibition on commercial consideration remained. Non-commercial transfers were already possible under the elephant exception introduced in 2002. An amendment was therefore unnecessary merely to allow an elephant to pass from one private owner to another as a gift. In this respect, the new provision largely reaffirmed the existing position, while creating a specific framework for central rules governing transfers . Its practical significance lay in giving renewed statutory backing to transfers at a time when litigation and enforcement had made them increasingly difficult. The words any other purpose were particularly troubling because they offered no meaningful limit of their own. For those of us who had worked to curb the use of elephants for begging, entertainment, circuses and timber logging, the concern was that this broad wording could encourage attempts to revive practices we had spent years challenging. The safeguards governing these transfers consequently became crucial. On March 14, 2024, fifteen months after the amendment, the government notified the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules (2024 Rules). These attempted to place meaningful safeguards around a difficult accommodation. By limiting transfers to elephants whose ownership certificates predated the Rules and to their offspring, and by requiring registration of genetic profiles, they offered a means of confining transfers to an identifiable population already lawfully in captivity. Read together, these provisions seek to break the logic of the khedda , in which the forest continually supplied elephants for human use. Putting this into practice is a demanding exercise. The State must build a reliable genetic record of the captive population, then verify each claimed captive birth through a DNA match with the mother and records establishing that she was lawfully held. Each new addition must be traceable to this legally recognised population, closing off the forest as a continuing source of captive elephants. Yet the government was still struggling to identify the population it sought to regulate. In August 2026, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change placed the proceedings of the Captive Elephant Healthcare and Welfare Committee (formed under Project Elephant) for the month of February before the Supreme Court in the WRRC case . These recorded that the profiling exercise remained incomplete and that, among 2,075 samples analysed, 40.5 per cent of elephants had unknown origins and 25.4 per cent were documented as wild-caught. Nearly two-thirds therefore fell into these two categories. The continuing exception These concerns have become urgent with the September 2026 movement of five young elephants from Assam to Tamil Nadu temples: Durga, Rupsing, Shiva, Hiralal and Bijuli. More than fifty organisations have sought an independent investigation into their origins, ownership documents and the possibility of sales disguised as gifts. The pace of the transfers shows how readily decisions that will shape decades of an elephants life can be made while fundamental questions remain publicly unanswered. In my account of Durgas transfer , the sequence from the request for a health certificate to her departure from Manas took three days. Her ownership certificate was issued in October 2025, after the 2024 Rules came into effect, so her transfer depended on a claimed captive birth to a mother covered by them, yet her mothers identity and lawful captive status remained publicly unverified. A five-year-old elephant is not a remnant of pre-conservation law; she is another generation entering a system that can determine almost her entire future. These journeys follow years of large transfers from the Northeast to Vantara in Jamnagar, where reporting in 2024 documented convoys coming in from Arunachal Pradesh and the private wildlife facility hosting more than 200 elephants. Vantara describes its work as rescue and rehabilitation, and in September 2025 the Supreme Court accepted an investigation reporting no legal violations. Its transfers and those to temples have different stated purposes, but their scale raises a very important question: how should a constitutional commitment to wildlife, and to compassion for living creatures, govern the continuing movement and concentration of elephants in human institutions? Elephants leaving the Northeast in convoys is not very dissimilar from the old geography of the khedda , when the forests of the Garo Hills supplied elephants to distant establishments and markets. Trautmann and Nongbri show that the forest sustained a system in which wild populations were protected in part because they supplied animals for capture. The question is whether the modern ownership regime has truly broken that relationship. In his Study on Illegal Sale and Transfer of Live Elephants from Assam , Chaturbhuja Behera, then a regional official of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, described illegal sales and transfers, accounts of wild calves being captured, and weaknesses in records used to establish captive birth. Findings such as this make it difficult to treat an ownership certificate, by itself, as an answer to where a young elephant came from. The 2024 Rules thus return us to the contradiction the law has carried since 1972. Once again, the government is trying to make its core commitment to protection coexist with private ownership, a relationship that subordinates an elephants life to the purposes of her owner. The safeguards are necessary, but they cannot resolve that contradiction while the exception is effectively allowing institutions to replenish their captive populations for generations to come. The demand for young elephants must be supplied from somewhere. The historical answer is in front of us: it is the forest. The forest is the breeding ground from which elephants have long been taken to replenish captivity. The exception leaves open the route by which demand for elephants in captivity can be met through illegal capture in the wild, disguised as captive-born. More than sixty years after the Malabar owners defended their right to capture elephants for timber in Kerala High Court, the law is yet to confront the continuity between that older system and the present one.

theleaflet 16 Oct 2026 6:59 pm

Keralam govt. forms four-member panel to look into private bus owners demands

The committee has been directed to submit a report to the government within a maximum of six weeks, after direct consultations with relevant stakeholders

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 6:48 pm

Heavy Rain Forces Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijays Kerala Visit to be Canceled

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijays much-anticipated visit to Kerala was canceled due to heavy rainfall, disappointing thousands of fans. Heavy Rain Forces Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijays Kerala Visit to be Canceled

Daily Kiran 16 Oct 2026 6:13 pm

Misuse prompts Keralam Revenue dept. to cancel 2017 circular permitting correction of survey numbers

Circular had permitted corrections in title deed forms where survey numbers were erroneously entered. Survey numbers were amended in over 600 cases by misusing the circular, according to the Land Revenue Commissioners communication to the government sent in August 2026

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 6:13 pm

15th Five-Year Plan of Keralam will be a 'living document,' says Planning Board Vice-Chairperson K.M. Chandrasekhar

The Plan, which will cover the 2027-2032 period, will target a higher growth trajectory for the State and will aim to address critical issues facing the State such as the unemployment rate, he says

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 6:08 pm

15th Five-Year Plan of Keralam will be a 'living document,' says Planning Board Vice-Chairperson K.M. Chandrasekhar

The Plan, which will cover the 2027-2032 period, will target a higher growth trajectory for the State and will aim to address critical issues facing the State such as the unemployment rate, he says

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 6:08 pm

Keralam Private Bus Operators Demand Fare Hike, Signal Strike From Nov 3

The All Kerala Bus Operators Association (AKBOA), following a state coordination committee meeting here, announced the proposed strike

Deccan Chronicle 16 Oct 2026 6:05 pm

Kerala Plus One Improvement Exam 2026: Revised Schedule Announced, Exams On October 17

Kerala Plus One Improvement Exam 2026 schedule revised after postponement. Check the updated October 17 exam timings and important instructions issued by the board.

NDTV 16 Oct 2026 5:32 pm

Criticism Hits Differently After Taking Charge: Keralam Health Min Muraleedharan

Muraleedharan said that after criticising the health department for 10 years, he now understood the pain of facing criticism, having taken charge of it

Deccan Chronicle 16 Oct 2026 5:28 pm

Kerala Lost Rs 13,104 Crore Through Flagship Funding Model: Report

The report further says that KIIFB's existing repayment commitments extend until 2041-42. Including the financial requirements of unfinished projects, the state's future obligations could exceed Rs 70,000 crore.

NDTV 16 Oct 2026 5:11 pm

Private bus operators to strike in Keralam from November 3

They demand that free travel scheme for women be extended to private buses as well, and that the government reimburse bus operators for their ticket fares.

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 4:46 pm

Local bodies not obliged to fund KSRTC depots: Transport Minister

C.P. John allays concerns raised by the Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, says Corporations and municipalities with robust revenue bases than grama panchayats can contribute voluntarily to improve local KSRTC depots if they considered it necessary.

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 4:25 pm

Ex-Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Moves Supreme Court After HC Rejects Plea To Appeal In CMRL-Exalogic Case

The Kerala High Court rejected pleas by Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter and son-in-law to appeal against an order directing an FIR in the alleged CMRL-Exalogic payoff case.

The LogicaI Indian 16 Oct 2026 4:19 pm

Projects exclusively for SC/ST development formed just 0.18% of KIIFBs total outlay: expert committee

A mere 0.18% of KIIFBs approved outlay and 0.21% of the amount released were allocated to projects exclusively for SC/ST development, says panel.

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 4:11 pm

Pinarayi Vijayan summoned by ED on October 23 in CMRL-linked money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to appear for questioning on October 23 in connection with the CMRL-linked money laundering case investigation. The summons comes after the Kerala High...

India TV 16 Oct 2026 4:03 pm

Kerala HC directs State to consider representation to include Rugby as State-level Sports and Games event

The court says Rugby should be included in State-level sports events as it is part of the National School Games

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 3:56 pm

Government begins process to appoint permanent V-Cs: Higher Education Minister

He says several universities lack permanent V-Cs and that the State is seeking a lasting solution while condemning any attempts at communalisation or ideological polarization in university governance.

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 3:55 pm

Kajol attends 80th North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja in red and orange silk saree; see pics

Kajol attended the unveiling of the Maa Durga protima at the 80th edition of the North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja celebrations in Mumbai on October 15, 2026. Known for her regular participation in Durga Puja festivities, the actor marked the occasion in a traditional silk saree featuring shades of red, orange and gold. The annual celebration, which is among Mumbai's oldest and most prominent Durga Puja events, marked a milestone this year with its 80th edition. The pandal and Maa Durga protima drew inspiration from Kerala's Guruvayur Temple, bringing a distinct architectural theme to the festivities. Kajol attended the event alongside several members of her family and other industry personalities. Those present included her sister, Tanishaa Mukerji, cousin Ayan Mukerji and television actress Rupali Ganguly, along with other relatives and guests. The unveiling brought together members of the film and television fraternity as devotees gathered to mark the occasion. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kajol Devgan (@kajol) Kajol's traditional silk saree look For the festive event, Kajol opted for a silk saree that combined warm shades of orange and gold. The gold-toned sections added contrast to the outfit, while the fluid drape maintained a traditional silhouette suited to the religious celebration. She paired the saree with a bright red blouse featuring a deep neckline. The blouse also had subtle striped detailing on the sleeves, complementing the saree without adding excessive embellishment to the overall look. The actor completed her outfit with statement gold-toned earrings that matched the warm colour palette. Keeping the styling centred on traditional elements, Kajol's ensemble reflected the festive spirit of the occasion. A look at the 80-year-old Durga Puja celebration The North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja is widely recognised as one of Mumbai's oldest, largest and most prominent community Durga Puja celebrations. It is also popularly known as 'Mukherjee Bari Pujo' because of its longstanding association with the Mukherjee-Samrat family, which has connections to the Hindi film industry. The celebration was established in 1948 by Padma Shri Sashadhar Mukerji and his wife, Smt. Satirani Mukerji, along with 25 other founding members. Over the decades, the puja has become a gathering point for devotees, families and members of the entertainment industry during the Durga Puja season. With the 80th edition, the celebration continued its longstanding tradition of bringing together religious observance, community participation and familiar faces from the entertainment industry. Kajol's presence at the unveiling added to the family's association with the annual festivities, which remain an important part of Mumbai's Durga Puja celebrations. Also Read : Ajay Devgn-Kajols Juhu bungalow faces BMC stop-work notice over proposed salon and spa: Reports

Bollywood Hungama 16 Oct 2026 3:41 pm

Indias Viksit Bharat 2047 vision needs climate-resilient housing, says National Building Code chief

Speaking at a Kochi lecture, V. Suresh highlighted climate-resilient construction, Keralas housing challenges and rising urban housing demand across India

The Hindu Businessline 16 Oct 2026 3:41 pm

NAM Kerala Recruitment 2026

National AYUSH Mission Keralam (NAM Kerala) has released the notification for 7 vacancies across various posts. The recruitment drive includes DEO, Full Time Sweeper, State Quality Consultant, Procurement Officer, and other positions. Eligible candidates can submit their offline applications till 27 October 2026. Further details are available at namkerala.gov.in.

FreeJobAlert 16 Oct 2026 3:40 pm

Kerala Man Bludgeons 18-Year-Old Lover With Stone, Sets Body On Fire

Police say Nishanth strangled Nithya and then repeatedly struck her with a stone, killing her on the spot.

NDTV 16 Oct 2026 3:34 pm

ED summons former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan for questioning in CMRL case

ED directs 81-year-old Vijayan to appear before its office in Kochi on October 23 for an interrogation

The Hindu Businessline 16 Oct 2026 3:25 pm

Kerala Congress Shocker: Gyanesh Kumar's Mock Funeral, 'Ashes' Dumped In Toilet

The workers reportedly carried a mock funeral bier from the District Congress Committee (DCC) office to the bus stand, where the symbolic cremation was conducted.

NDTV 16 Oct 2026 3:19 pm

CMRL Case: Congress Leader Criticises Preliminary Inquiry

Congress leader Jinto John criticised the UDF government for opting for a preliminary inquiry instead of an FIR against LoP Pinarayi Vijayan and his family in the alleged CMRL bribery case. This comes after the Kerala High Court dismissed petitions challenging an order to register an FIR. The Enforcement Directorate alleges fraudulent payments to Vijayan's daughter's company.

Rediff 16 Oct 2026 2:25 pm

CMRL money-laundering case: ED summons ex-Keralam CM Pinarayi Vijayan for questioning on October 23

Summons issued under Prevention of Money Laundering Act under which ED has booked a case taking cognisance of a recent State police FIR in the matter

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 2:21 pm

CMRL money laundering case: Enforcement Directorate summons Pinarayi Vijayan on October 23

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned former Keralam chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan for questioning in a case of CMRL-linked money laundering. The summons were issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED alleged that CMRL made fraudulent payments of Rs 2.78 crore to Vijayan's daughter Veena's now-defunct company, Exalogic Solutions, under the guise of IT consultancy service.

The Economic Times 16 Oct 2026 2:19 pm

KSRTC ready to run private buses on wet lease basis, Transport Minister C.P. John tells Keralam Assembly

Responding to a calling attention motion on crisis facing private bus sector, Minister says KSRTC and private bus operators can function in a complementary manner to improve public transport rather than be seen as forces working at cross purposes

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 2:02 pm

Keralam govt declares public holiday on October 19 for Durgashtami

Holiday will apply to all government and quasi-government offices, public sector undertakings, institutions covered under the Negotiable Instruments Act and all educational institutions

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 1:43 pm

Keralam Assembly: Govt will recover 75.5-lakh loss from Sabarimala ghee irregularities, says Minister Bindhu Krishna

In a reply during Question Hour, Dairy Development and Animal Husbandry Minister says all files related to purported scam havebeen handed over to Vigilance

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 1:40 pm

Vijay Inaugurates Periyar Knowledge Centre, Holds Roadshow in Coimbatore

After the inauguration event, the chief minister will leave for Keralam to attend a private event in Thrissur

Deccan Chronicle 16 Oct 2026 1:02 pm

SIT To Probe Brutal Mob Lynching In Kerala's Palakkad

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has strongly condemned the alleged mob lynching of an unidentified man in Palakkad district, announcing that seven people have been arrested and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will probe the incident. The victim, aged 35-40, remains unidentified, and the minister has sought assistance from Tamil Nadu police. The incident, which involved the victim being attacked with stones and wooden sticks, is the third alleged mob lynching reported in Palakkad in recent years.

Rediff 16 Oct 2026 12:46 pm

Adimaly Panchayat Goat Scheme Under VACB Scanner

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) in Idukki, Kerala, has registered a case against three individuals, including two former office-bearers of Adimaly Grama Panchayat, for allegedly misappropriating Rs 68.62 lakh in a goat distribution scheme meant for 2018 flood-affected people. The accused are alleged to have conspired to award a contract for goat supply to an unlicensed individual, leading to a significant financial loss to the government.

Rediff 16 Oct 2026 12:34 pm

Kerala PSC Final Answer Key 2026 Out - Download Power Plant Assistant / Boiler Attender PDF

Kerala PSC Power Plant Assistant / Boiler Attender Final Answer Key 2026 has been released on 15 October by the Kerala Public Service Commission for Oil Palm India Limited. The examination was held on 29 September 2026 under Question Paper Code 156/2026/OL and Category Nos. 739/2025, 742/2025 and 889/2025. Candidates can download the official 25-page final answer key PDF, check all 100 correct answers and review their responses here.

FreeJobAlert 16 Oct 2026 12:20 pm

Exhibitors in Keralam jubilant as Rajinikanths Jailer 2 earns record first-day collections

Theatres plan additional shows to cash in on positive response to the Tamil film

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 12:17 pm

Exhibitors in Keralam jubilant as Rajinikanths Jailer 2 earns record first-day collections

Theatres plan additional shows to cash in on positive response to the Tamil film

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 12:17 pm

KVASU Junior Research Fellow Recruitment 2026

Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) has published the Recruitment 2026 notification for the post of Junior Research Fellow. Applications by email will be accepted till 31 October 2026.

FreeJobAlert 16 Oct 2026 12:10 pm

Legal Challenges Mount for Former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan as Supreme Court Hearing Approaches

Pinarayi Vijayan faces legal hurdles as he appeals to the Supreme Court following a setback in the CMRL-Exlogic case. Legal Challenges Mount for Former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan as Supreme Court Hearing Approaches

Daily Kiran 16 Oct 2026 12:08 pm

Pinarayi Vijayan Moves SC Against FIR in CMRL Bribery Case

Former Kerala CM Seeks Urgent Hearing, Protection From Coercive Action After High Court Rejects Appeal Pleas

Deccan Chronicle 16 Oct 2026 11:46 am

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay to inaugurate Periyar knowledge centre in Coimbatore

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay will arrive in Coimbatore on Friday to inaugurate Periyar Arivulagam, a library and science centre built at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore, before proceeding to Keralam to attend a Navaratri event. Ahead of the Chief Minister's arrival, heavy security has been deployed at the Coimbatore airport, with trained sniffer dogs carrying out checks on the premises. Vijay is expected to hold a roadshow from the airport to the Periyar study centre, where barricades have been placed on both sides of the roads and a heavy police deployment has been made. The Chief Minister is expected to arrive in Coimbatore from Chennai by a special aircraft shortly. He will inaugurate the facility and visit its various sections, including the digital library and planetarium. He is also scheduled to launch several government projects. Minister P. Anand and Sampath have arrived at Coimbatore airport to receive Chief Minister Joseph Vijay. After completing the government programme...

devdiscourse 16 Oct 2026 11:35 am

From idle plots to tapping trails: rubber boom lifts hopes for stakeholders in Keralam

With rubber prices at a record high and demand from tyre manufacturers driving gains, the plantation sector is eyeing a revival. While demand for leased plantations has risen sharply, share-tapping arrangements are also gaining ground.

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 11:10 am

Kerala Board's 290% Boost To Kannur Land Development Under Scanner

The committee questioned how such a large real estate acquisition programme was approved without a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and proper feasibility assessments.

NDTV 16 Oct 2026 11:04 am

Ex-Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan moves Supreme Court against High Court order directing FIR in CMRL-Exalogic case

Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Kerala High Courts direction to register a First Information Report (FIR) in the alleged CMRL-Exalogic payoff case, after the High Court declined to permit him and two family members to appeal against the order. The challenge follows the Kerala High Court Division [] The post Ex-Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan moves Supreme Court against High Court order directing FIR in CMRL-Exalogic case appeared first on India Legal .

indialegallive 16 Oct 2026 10:40 am

Twist In Kerala Extortion Case, Accused's Family Claims Torture

According to the complaint, the girl was allegedly lured into a relationship and her private images were obtained.

NDTV 16 Oct 2026 10:06 am

Flood fears rise with flyover plan at Puthukkad in Keralam

Residents seek pillar-supported structure citing drainage disruption and growing vulnerability to waterlogging

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 8:29 am

Keralam nuns Stand By Me comes to home terrain

Stand by Me is a clothing venture of the three nuns who had stood by a nun who accused former Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal of rape. The bishop was acquitted by a trial court in 2022, but their open support for the survivor left the three facing years of scrutiny

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 8:29 am

Kerala Man Kills Wife, Sends Family's Number To Employer Before Dying By Suicide

A police team rushed to the spot after receiving information and sent the bodies for a post-mortem examination.

NDTV 16 Oct 2026 7:38 am

SC issues notice to Congress, Rahul Gandhi over march to court, posts against CJI

New Delhi, Oct 15:The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the Congress, Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders on a plea seeking restrictions on political demonstrations in court premises following the Oppositions march to the apex court on October 12 and social media posts targeting Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant. A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi sought responses to the petition filed by four lawyers. Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia, appearing for the petitioners, argued that demonstrations within court premises amounted to an attempt to intimidate the judiciary. Nobody can browbeat the judiciary, the CJI observed. We are not sitting in ivory towers. We know what statements they are making outside and what they are saying in Court. We know everything, he said. The petition also sought criminal contempt action against the Congresss Kerala unit over an X post that told the CJI to resign and said the party would find his replacement. However, the bench declined to issue notice on the contempt plea at this stage. No contempt today. We are only issuing notice. Let us see what the response is, and then we will take it forward, the CJI said, according to Bar & Bench. The plea also named Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav among the respondents.

Greater Kashmir 16 Oct 2026 7:22 am

The fuel frenzy: rising kerosene prices in Keralam

Shrinking Central allocation and rising prices have left Keralams traditional fishers and ration-card holders struggling to secure adequate supplies of kerosene. Sarath Babu George examines the challenges of sustaining livelihoods and the hurdles in transitioning to cleaner fuels

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 6:46 am

Fairfaxs IDBI Bank deal puts CSB Banks ownership and future in focus

Canada's Fairfax Financial Holdings, which owns 40% in the Kerala-based lender, must choose between selling its stake and merging CSB with IDBI Bank after the government approved the sale of a 60.72% stake in IDBI to a Fairfax subsidiary. 

Livemint 16 Oct 2026 6:15 am

Kerala Folklore Academy announces plans to promote traditional art forms

Academy to hold consultations with experts on the possibility of establishing a folklore university in the State

The Hindu 16 Oct 2026 2:11 am