Supreme Court issues notice to EC as Kerala Government, political parties seek deferment of SIR

J. Kant remarks that political parties have now started coming to Supreme Court on the SIR issue. More parties contest the revision exercise and seek its deferment in Kerala

SC seeks EC's response on fresh pleas against SIR in Kerala, UP and other states

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider a new set of petitions challenging the Election Commission of Indias (ECI) ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in multiple states, including Kerala and Uttar Pradesh. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant, SVN Bhatti and Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the ECI on all the newly filed petitions submitted by various political leaders. These petitions question the legality and timing of the SIR exercise on different grounds across states. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the petitioners from Kerala, argued that the matter requires urgent attention as local body elections are approaching in the state. The timing of the SIR process, he contended, could potentially impact the conduct of these elections. Taking note of the concerns, the bench scheduled the Kerala-related petitions for hearing on November 26. Petitions concerning the electoral roll revision in other states will be heard in the first or second week of December, the bench said. The Supreme Court is already seized of several other petitions challenging the ECIs decision to carry out a nationwide SIR exercise. On November 11, the Court had sought individual responses from the poll body on petitions filed by political parties such as the DMK, CPI(M), West Bengal Congress, and leaders of the Trinamool Congress, who have questioned the SIR exercises in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. (With inputs from PTI)

SC seeks EC's response on fresh pleas challenging SIR exercise in Kerala, other states

The Supreme Court will hear challenges to the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision exercise. Petitions from Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and other states are involved. The court has issued notices to the Election Commission. Hearings for Kerala pleas are scheduled for November 26. Other state petitions will be heard in early December. This follows earlier challenges to the pan-India revision exercise.

Disproportionate assets case: Kerala HC quashes Vigilance court order against ADGP Ajith Kumar

High Court cites procedural flaw in quashing an order by Vigilance court that sought inquiry against M.R. Ajith Kumar

Supreme Court seeks EC reply on pleas against SIR exercise in Kerala

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a batch of pleas challenging the Election Commissions decision to conduct Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and other states. A bench of Justices Surya Kant, SVN Bhatti and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Election Commission on all the fresh petitions Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Infant dies of snakebite in Kerala

According to police, the one-year-old boy was playing at the backyard near the kitchen when the venomous snake, reportedly a cobra, bit him on his leg

Kerala vehicle fitness test fees surge up to tenfold amid new regulations

After Ministry of Road Transport and Highways hiked fees by amending Central Motor Vehicle Rules (Fifth Amendment) recently, Kerala Motor Vehicles dept has enforced revised rates for fitness tests

ED raids premises of former MLA PV Anvar, four others in loan misappropriation case in Kerala

NEW DELHI : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting search operations on Friday at multiple premises linked to former legislator PV Anvar and four others in connection with the Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC) loan misappropriation case. The ED is probing a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Anvar (58), his driver Siyad, and three KFC officials -Abdul Manaf, T Mini and Muneer Ahamed. The accused were allegedly involved in laundering money by fraudulently obtaining loans sanctioned by the Kerala Financial Corporation in 2015. PV Anvar, who served as the independent Nilambur MLA and his associates had availed loans amounting to Rs 12 crore in 2015. Anvar is accused of pledging the same property documents to secure two separate loans, causing a loss of Rs 22.30 crore to KFC due to default in repayment. The ED is examining disproportionate assets, suspected benami holdings, diversion of funds into real-estate projects, and other unaccounted investments to trace the laundering trail. The ED began its raid at Anvar's residence in Edavanna and at his business establishments, including an amusement park in the district, at around 7 am. Simultaneous searches were also carried out at the residences of Siyad and the KFC officials, the official said. VIDEO | Malappuram: ED raid former MLA PV Anvar's residence over alleged fraud after taking loan of Rs 12 crore from Kerala Financial Corporation. (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7 ) #Kerala pic.twitter.com/nB96fPebGG Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 21, 2025

ED raids residences of former MLA P.V. Anvar, relatives in Kerala in load fraud case

Multiple teams of the ED from Chennai, Kochi and Kozhikode units, supported by the Central police force, began the raid at six houses soon after dawn

Kerala local body polls: Perform or perish is the mantra for political fronts in central Kerala

Barring Ernakulam district, the CPI (M)-led LDF has been sitting pretty in all the other three districts of the region. Much is at stake for the UDF and the Congress in these districts, as the dispensation has been forced to sit in the Opposition in most of the local bodies during the last term. The NDA was nowhere in the political scene in the region during the last election

Kerala local body polls: UDF poised for a comeback in Thrissur, says Rajan J. Pallan

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Thrissur Corporation says a strong and unmistakable wave is rising in favour of the Congress and voters are ready to correct what he calls the slip between the lip and the cup in the last election

Kerala local body polls: Elections in Pala heat up as CPI(M) renegade comes up with family alliance

Binu Pulikkakkandam has assembled a three-member alliance comprising only his close family. Under the plan, he will contest from Ward 14, while his daughter Diya will enter the race from Ward 15, and his brother Biju Pulikkakandam will contest from Ward 13

Kerala Lottery Result Today, November 21, 2025 Live: Suvarna Keralam SK-28 Winning Numbers

Kerala Lottery Result Today Live Updates, 21-11-2025: Heres Guessing Numbers for Suvarna Keralam SK-28 for Friday, November 21. Check the full list of winning numbers from 3 pm.

Spot booking curbs in effect at Sabarimala; rush under control

PATHANAMTHITTA: With spot booking now capped at 5,000 per day following a Kerala High Court directive, authorities at Sabarimala said that the barrage of pilgrims that overwhelmed the hill shrine earlier this week has finally been brought under control. The restrictions, which came into force on Wednesday night, will remain until November 24. Meanwhile, spot booking will now be available only at Nilakkal and Vandiperiyar, while the centres at Pampa, Erumely, and Chengannur have been suspended temporarily. The TDB has urged devotees to rely on the virtual queue system to secure darshan slots. The High Court had sharply criticised the TDB on Wednesday, observing that the situation at Sabarimala had gone out of control, with nearly two lakh pilgrims reaching the hill shrine within 48 hours of the temple opening on November 17. The unprecedented influx had exposed major lapses in crowd management. At Nilakkal, spot booking was halted late on Wednesday night, triggering a brief protest by devotees who had been waiting for passes. The system was restored on Thursday morning, but officials said the counters could issue only the court-mandated 5,000 passes. The sudden restrictions caused widespread confusion, especially among pilgrims from other states. Large crowds gathered at Nilakkal and Pampa, many unaware of the High Courts cap on spot booking. Passes were exhausted quickly, yet hundreds remained outside the counters, unsure why they were being denied access to Sannidhanam without a virtual queue pass. Staff on the ground struggled to explain the new rules to non-Keralite pilgrims, many of whom had reached the base stations after long journeys, expecting spot booking to be available. Sabarimala ADM Arun S Nair said the situation is now fully under control. As the pilgrimage enters its fourth day, the lapses witnessed in the initial days have been completely rectified. All departments, along with the TDB, are working together to make this season the most efficient, he said. Massive cleaning and review measures A comprehensive review meeting was held on Thursday to assess the arrangements for the Mandala-Makaravilakku season. The ADM supervised a large-scale cleaning drive from Sannidhanam to Marakkoottam, including inspection of queue complexes. Both biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste were cleared along the trekking path. Over 400 workers, with designated supervisors for each zone, have been deployed to maintain hygiene in seating areas and restrooms along the Marakkoottam-Sharamkuthi-Sannidhanam stretch. Departments were also instructed to strengthen emergency medical aid, drinking water supply, food distribution, and sanitation.

Five accused of killing 18-year-old in Thiruvananthapuram surrender

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Five people, including the main culprit involved in the murder of an 18-year-old youth near Thycaud on Monday, surrendered before the court. Jagathy natives, Ajin aka Jobi, 27, Abhijith, 26, Kiran, 26, Valiyavila native Nandu, 27, and Panniyode native Akhil Lal, 27, surrendered before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Thursday and were remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. The five had fled to Tamil Nadu after fatally stabbing Allan, a native of Rajaji Nagar, while he was mediating a clash between two groups. Ajin is listed as the prime accused as it was he who allegedly stabbed Allan. A habitual offender having several criminal cases against him, Ajin used to carry sharp-edged weapons with him. The police had earlier arrested three people, including a 16-year-old student of the Model School, in connection with the murder. The police said clashes between two football clubs one based in Jagathy and the other in Rajaji Nagar - culminated in the violent death of the teenager. The two clubs had a bad blood towards each other after a fight during a football match held in Thycaud recently. A series of clashes erupted thereafter between them. To ease tensions, the groups finally decided to attend a reconciliation meeting. However, the minor boy, who was a member of the Jagathy club, brought with him seven people having criminal inclination, who attacked the rival group members. It was amid the affray they stabbed Allan.

Murajapam-Lakshadeepam fest begins at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The centuries-old Murajapam-Lakshadeepam festival began at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple on Thursday. A maha ganapathy homam performed by temple thantri Tharananelloor Satheesan Nambooripad marked the commencement of the festival, celebrated once in every six years. Vedic scholars from different parts of the country chanted vedas in the temple. Special veda mandapas have been set up on the four nadas of the temple. The 56-day-long festival will see the chanting of Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda. The inclusion of Atharva Veda is a novelty of this edition. Special pushpanjali and nivedya were offered to Lord Sree Padmanabha on the day. The rituals were led by thantris Govindan Namboodiripad, Pradeep Namboodiripad, Saji Namboodiripad and Padmanabhan Namboodiripad. Sahasranamajapam was conducted at the Seevelippura. A colourful procession carrying the idols of Lord Sree Padmanabha, Lord Narasimha and Lord Thiruvambadi Sree Krishna were taken out in the temple complex at night. The royal family head made the customary accompaniment to the siveli ritual. Moolam Thirunal Ramavarma, head of the erstwhile Travancore royal family, members Pooyam Thirunal Gowri Parvathi Bai, Aswathy Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bai and Aditya Varma attended. Various cultural programmes titled Vande Padmanabham will be held on the festival days. Telugu actor Rana Daggubati inaugurated the cultural segment. Aditya Varma presented an Onavillu to the actor. Daggubati released the 2026 calendar brought out by the temple.

SIT arrests ex-TDB chief Padmakumar in Sabarimala gold theft case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Putting the CPM in a precarious position ahead of the local body elections, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft case on Thursday arrested senior party leader and former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar. A former MLA from Konni and CPM Pathanamthitta district committee member, Padmakumar was arrested after the SIT questioned him for hours in an undisclosed location in the state capital. The police had earlier listed the board of 2019 as the eighth accused in the case pertaining to theft of gold from the door frame of the sreekovil. Padmakumar was the TDB president when the alleged offence took place. Padmakumar was earlier issued notices to appear for questioning, but he did not comply citing personal matters. On Wednesday evening, the SIT asked him to reach Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. The co-accused in the case, who were arrested earlier, had reportedly testified that Padmakumar took a final call on moving the artefacts from the temple to Chennai. However, Padmakumar denied the allegations and told the interrogators that the subterfuge was the handiwork of the TDB staff. Later in the evening, he was produced before the Kollam Vigilance Court, which remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days. The senior CPM leaders arrest at a time when the state is on the verge of an election is expected to have major political ramifications as the UDF and the BJP have already targeted the ruling Left front on the issue. Sensing trouble, the LDF is set to launch counter attack. The special probe team had arrested former TDB president N Vasu and charged him for conspiracy, falsification of records and involvement in the gold theft. Padmakumar and Vasu to be quizzed together The case against Vasu was built on the basis of the statements of the former board officials who were arrested by the SIT. The probe team reportedly got statements from the arrested persons about the involvement of Padmakumar in the case. Its learnt that the SIT got leads suggesting Padmakumar had directed the co-accused, including former TDB staff, to record the gold-plated copper sheets of the dwarapalaka idols and the door frames as copper in official records. The SIT had learnt that the prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti shared close ties with Padmakumar. The SIT will now question Padmakumar and Vasu together to unearth finer details of the case. Vasu, who has close ties with the CPM leadership, was arrested in connection with the theft of gold from the door frame of the sreekovil. Vasu was the devaswom commissioner when the gold-plated sheets were allowed to be taken out and transported to Chennai for maintenance work. The charge against Vasu was that it was on his directive the gold-plated copper sheets were recorded as mere copper plates in official documents. During that period, Padmakumar was the TDB chief. The SIT has so far arrested six people, including former Sabarimala administrative officer Murari Babu, former executive officer Sudheesh Kumar, middleman Potti and former Thiruvabharana Commissioner K S Biju.

Malabari chicken curry among new dishes on Air Indias global menu

KOCHI: Air India on Thursday announced the introduction of its new global menu across its fleet. The menu draws inspiration from Indias diverse culinary tapestry, from the royal kitchens of Awadh to the coastal flavours of southern India, while incorporating global influences through Pan-Asian, European Bistro, and geo-specific star dishes. The new menu, which includes Kerala-style Malabari chicken, has been introduced on most international ex-India routes, including flights from Delhi to London Heathrow, New York, Melbourne, Sydney, Toronto and Dubai; from Mumbai and Bengaluru to San Francisco; and from Mumbai to New York, to name a few. It will be progressively rolled out across all international sectors as well as on domestic routes. The menu weaves a delicious story that combines the flavours of India with influences from global cuisines. To strike a chord with every traveller, there is a portfolio mix of region-inspired meals and global cuisines such as European bistros and pan-Asian. The region-inspired meals like south-Indian cuisine brings alive the heritage of India giving the travellers an authentic dining experience, the airline said. Guests travelling First Class will enjoy gourmet meals, artisanal breads, signature desserts, and bespoke wine and champagne pairings. Business Class offers multi-course gourmet meals with customisable options and curated beverage pairings, while Premium Economy and Economy feature upgraded meal trays with balanced, wholesome options with familiar regional flavours and enhanced presentation. Signature Indian dishes to be served include Awadhi Paneer Anjeer Pasanda (Veg Awadhi Thali), Murgh Massalam (Non-veg Awadhi Thali), and south Indian platter in First and Business Class. Rajasthani Besan Chilla, Malabari chicken curry, and Malai Palak Kofta in Premium Economy. At the very core, the new food and beverage enhancements draw inspiration from Air Indias commitment to continuous innovation and transforming the customer experience. We are reimagining the inflight dining experience that resonates with the tastes and preferences of global travellers. Our thoughtfully curated menu caters to guests from different cultural affinities who prefer delectable gourmet meals, said Rajesh Dogra, chief customer experience officer, Air India.

Why are stone quarries expanding in Kerala? | Explained

What is M-sand? How has banning river sand mining led to expanding quarries across Kerala?

Trans woman moves Kerala HC to contest from women-reserved seat in Thiruvananthapuram

KOCHI: Amaya Prasad, a trans woman candidate of the Congress, approached the Kerala High Court on Thursday seeking a directive to the returning officer to accept and process her nomination under the women-reserved category for the Pothencode division in Thiruvananthapuram, and to permit her to contest the election as a woman in accordance with her legally recognised gender identity. In her petition, Amaya said she is a trans woman who has undergone complete medical, psychological and legal transition, and has been officially certified as female under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. She said she seeks to contest the upcoming district panchayat election from Pothencode division, which is reserved for women. On November 19, when she approached the returning officer to file her nomination, she was informed that, in the absence of an express provision in the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act or Rules allowing trans women to contest from women-reserved seats, her nomination was likely to be rejected and that she must obtain directives from the High Court. This stance, Amaya argued, violates her statutory right to a self-perceived gender identity. Amaya said several court orders had recognised that transgender women are entitled to be treated as women for all legal purposes, including political participation. The court admitted the petition and issued notices to the State Election Commission and the Union and state governments.

Kerala local body polls: Its a tri-cornered fight for Mavelikkara municipality

ALAPPUZHA: The Mavelikkara municipality remains among the few local bodies where all the three major frontsLDF, UDF and NDAare locked in a close contest. The LDF and the NDA are sweating it out to get their hands on the reins of power, which they lost between the cup and the lip, while the UDF has its task cut out to retain control of a civic body that it won more by design, than mandate. In 2020, each of the three fronts secured nine wards, with an LDF rebel winning the remaining seat in the 28-member council. With the support of the rebel, K V Sreekumar who won from Umbernadu division, UDF managed to grab power and retain it for four and a half years. According to the original agreement, Sreekumar was to serve as chairman for three years. However, after he allegedly violated the pact, the Congress initiated a no-confidence motion this April, leading to his removal. The UDF, however, did not relinquish control, with Ninan C Kuttisseril elected as the new chairman. Notably, the Janadhipathya Kerala Congress (JKC), an LDF constituent, voted in favour of the UDF, dealing a blow to the Left front, which had ruled the municipality in the 2015-20 period with a one-third majority. In the upcoming council, the chairperson post is reserved for a woman, prompting all fronts to field strong female candidates. We are working to secure victory in a majority of the wards. In the last election, we lost several divisions by narrow margins.This time, we have begun an organised effort to win more seats, said LDF councillor Thomas Mathew. The BJP has announced candidates in 18 wards. However, the BDJS, part of the NDA, has rebelled over seat-sharing and declared candidates in a few wards. In a significant development, Geethakumari, vice-chairperson during the 2015-20 tenure and CPI leader, joined BJP and has filed nomination. We have finalised candidates and started campaigning, said C K Gopakumar, NDA councillor. Ninan said Congress has finalised candidates in 18 wards, with the remaining list to be announced soon. Since the chairperson post is reserved for a woman, the party has fielded strong candidates, including former leaders, he said.

INTERVIEW |We stand to gain from BJPs frailties, LDFs governance failures: Congress' Muraleedharan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Outlining his partys assessment of the states political landscape, in a conversation with TNIE , Congress leader K Muraleedharan contrasts the UDFs 2020 and 2025 strategies, and responds to the LDF claims on governance and welfare measures. Excerpts: How has your partys election strategy evolved from the 2020 local-body polls? Since 2015, the UDF, which used to be the principal opposition in Thiruvananthapuram corporation, has been pushed to a distant third place. The absence of a mayoral candidate created the perception that the front was not taking the election seriously. At the same time, the BJP made inroads in several pockets. The situation has now shifted. The BJPs position has weakened following two high-profile suicides for which the party has been blamed, and many votes that had drifted to the BJP are now returning to the Congress. The LDFs governance failures, together with the Sabarimala gold-theft controversy, have further improved the political climate for the UDF. In the previous two elections, we lost minority support because voters backed the LDF out of fear of a BJP surge. With PM SHRI signed and JD(S) recognised as an LDF ally, rather than a BJP partner, we expect those votes to come back to the Congress. What message does the Congress want to convey in this election? A clear majority of local bodies are now governed by the LDF, but the question for voters is why that should continue. Over the past five years the state government has taken decisions that have undermined local bodies. One clear example is the reduction in their source funds, which has weakened local governance and delivery. Congress is campaigning to restore financial autonomy and support for local institutions. How do you respond to the LDFs claims of achievements in governance and welfare measures? Those announcements are election theatrics. Raising welfare pensions by the amount they propose would impose a fiscal burden of around Rs 10,000 crore, yet the government has given no credible plan for raising those funds. The pre-election announcement of a metro project for Thiruvananthapuram is a stunt. The project first proposed by the Oommen Chandy government was opposed by the LDF then. With major traffic disruptions on the Pallipuram-Kazhakoottam NH stretch, construction can only begin after the highway work is completed, making the announcement an impractical election gimmick.

SC to hear plea challenging SIR in Kerala on Friday

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday, will hear a plea seeking the postponement of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala ahead of the upcoming Local Self-Government Institutions (LSGI) elections. On Wednesday, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai agreed to list the plea after the counsel Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Panchayats in Kerala turn self govts with pioneering projects

KOCHI: From reducing carbon emission, fighting cervical cancer, and reviving rivers to radio park for elders, palliative care, menstrual hygiene, and veterinary care on wheels...the projects implemented by local bodies in Kerala over the last five years have been innovative, diverse and people-centric. The state governments achievements in digital literacy and extreme poverty-eradication were made with the support of local bodies. Around 152 local bodies have joined the net-zero carbon campaign to cut greenhouse gases, ensure safe disposal of waste and implement energy efficient practices. The degree for all scheme implemented by West Kallada panchayat, the journey of happiness taken up by Aruvappulam panchayat for the disabled, the music troupe for disabled launched by Elikulam panchayat and the Bhoomika biodiversity park project of Kodakara panchayat are examples of pioneering and unconventional projects launched by rural local bodies. Local bodies in Kerala have transformed into local self governments and have more responsibilities and functions, too. During the past five years the state government distributed Rs 70,000 crore to local bodies as development fund, maintenance grant and special purpose fund. No other state has implemented such devolution. Besides, special drives for digital literacy and eradication of extreme poverty were successfully implemented with active participation of local bodies, Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh told TNIE . The Planning Board has a resource group that provides guidelines on identifying projects. Besides, there is a core coordination committee headed by the minister which helps local bodies streamline projects based on guidelines. Representatives of all departments are members of this committee, which meets every month. We have published guidelines for implementation of projects in local bodies. When they come up with innovative ideas we hold discussions on making them feasible. Projects that do not fall under guidelines are considered by a state-level committee, said Planning Board member and resource group head Jiju P Alex. The state governments achievements in digital literacy and extreme poverty-eradication were made with the support of local bodies. For its part, the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) provides training to elected representatives and employees of local bodies. Over the past five years, it bagged two national awards for capacity building of local bodies. Kodakara panchayat transformed an abandoned funeral ground into a biodiversity park by availing funds from the state biodiversity board and the CSR initiative of Apollo Tyres. A butterfly garden, herbal garden, sacred grove and Miyawaki forest have all been developed on the 74-cent plot. A gymnasium, yoga centre and library function in the space previously used for funerals, says panchayat president Ambili Soman. In 2024, Perumbadappu panchayat in Malappuram won the national award for initiatives aimed at poverty alleviation and livelihood protection. The panchayat has spent Rs 2.72 lakh for poverty alleviation, points out president Bineesha Mustafa. In 2023, Alappuzhas Veeyapuram panchayat won the award for best self-sufficient infrastructure. Manickal in Thiruvananthapuram was second in the best panchayat category at the 4th National Water Awards instituted by the Jal Shakti Ministry for implementing schemes for revival of rivers and enriching water resources.

Kochi looks at bleak cruise season as Red Sea tensions cut big liners

KOCHI: Kochis 202526 cruise season is shaping up to be one of the weakest in recent years, with the port witnessing a distinctly lukewarm flow of foreign liners and little sign of recovery through the rest of the season. The World Odyssey may have opened the season under the Semester at Sea programme, but beyond that, the arrival list looks unusually thin. According to Cochin Port Authority data, only 14 foreign cruise ships have visited so far this financial year. Between October 2025 and May 2026, the core cruise season, just eight foreign liners are expected. Port officials say the decline is largely driven by the continuing volatility in the Red Sea. We saw many cancellations after the Red Sea issue and the Houthi attacks, a senior official said. The attacks, triggered by the Gaza war, have severely disrupted the Red Sea shipping corridor, forcing cruise companies to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope a longer, costlier route that has led many to drop Asian itineraries. The geopolitical uncertainty has particularly hit long-distance voyages that bring large foreign cruise liners to Kochi. The weakness is visible in the seasons line-up. Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) Kerala committee member Paulose Mathew notes that only one major foreign liner, Royal Caribbeans Celebrity Millennium, is scheduled, and even that for just two calls. Except Celebrity Millennium, all other ships have a capacity of less than 1,000. Where are the big vessels with over 2,000 passengers? he said. Kochi had seen strong cruise movement before the pandemic. In 201819, 49 ships brought in 65,000 passengers. Covid froze the sector, with gradual recovery in subsequent years. This year, the slowdown is unmistakable. Both tourism and port officials admit that the Red Sea crisis continues to cast a long shadow over Kochis cruise prospects. Kochi had seen strong cruise movement before the pandemic.

Amid political storm in Sabarimala, Left set for counter campaign

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Six years after the Sabarimala protest that unsettled the LDF during the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the hill shrine has once again become the centre of a political storm on the eve of local body polls in the state. With the UDF and the BJP targeting the ruling Left over Sabarimala fiasco, the LDF is all set to launch a counter campaign. At the ground level, the CPM is feeling the heat of the gold theft conspiracy with both opposition fronts accusing the former of trying to shield the real culprits. The CPM has decided to come out in the coming days to defend the government. A detailed campaign is being planned with various measures such as public meetings and house visits. The party state leadership will stand by its declared position that the party would not protect the guilty. Though the CPM leadership and the LDF government have chosen to distance themselves from the gold theft incident, the arrests of former TDB presidents N Vasu and A Padmakumar, have put them on the defensive. We have nothing to hide, said a CPM state secretariat member. The chief minister and the state secretary have said that those who are responsible will be brought to justice. The position taken by the government and the party that the Left would not interfere in the probe or protect the guilty has sent out a message among the masses that we have nothing to hide, he said. It is the responsibility and liability of the accused to prove their innocence. Our cadres would explain this position to the public, he added. The Congress and BJP have already made the overcrowding at Sabarimala, and the High Court remarks a central theme in their campaigns. Both parties see an opportunity to polarise Hindu majority votes, similar to the 2018-19 Sabarimala protest, said political analyst Ajith Sreenivasan. If the CPM fails to find a way out of the situation, it may face setbacks in the upcoming polls, he added.

Kerala local body polls: LDF to base campaign on Attingal model

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first municipality in the district and the third in the state to have won the ISO certification for citizen services, Attingal is a key area to look upon, not only on the political front but also in development aspects. The municipality was formed even before the country attained Independence. The picture of the local body election is all set here, with the ruling LDF planning to root its campaign on its Attingal-model development claim, and the opposing UDF and BJP raising practical issues like revenue generation and town hall construction. Attingal had been the fortress of the Left since 1979, with the Congress coming to power only once in 2000-2005. BJP made its maiden entry into the council in 2005, with one seat. While UDFs seats reduced from 13 in 2010 to five in 2015, BJP rose from one to four seats in the same period. An ambitious leap happened for the party when it managed to win seven seats in the 2020 elections, pushing Congress to third place. However, following the resignation of two councillors and LDFs victory in both seats in the bypolls, the party once again came back to third position. On the other hand, the by-election result is another factor of motivation for the LDF, as the leaders do not consider BJP to be a strong force here. We were able to provide housing, food and water connections to almost all people here, said municipal chairperson S Kumari. Over 62 families were brought out of the extreme poverty tag by providing documents like the Aadhaar and ration cards, ensuring their housing and food requirements. Pointing out the repeated bagging of ISO certification, LDF candidate and former municipality chairperson Pradeep M said that they have achieved an Attingal model of development. The improved health facilities, including the setting up of multiple dialysis units, skill development and employment programmes have been successful, he said, adding that the front is expecting another tenure in the municipality. However, he remarked that more development work needs to be done, especially in the Kachery junction. Upon being asked about the displacement of roadside traders during the National Highway widening, Pradeep stated that all procedures went legally, noting that only one case remains pending in court. In contrast, opposition councillors argued that influential individuals were unaffected, while only small-scale traders faced displacement. Congress candidate and Ambalamukku councillor K J Ravikumar rejected all claims made by the Left leaders. Except for the Attingal bus stand income and the tax paid by people, the Left councils have not implemented any projects that generate revenue for the municipality, he said. Terming that the best period of the municipality was when the Congress governed it and won the Swaraj Award for the best municipality, he alleged the CPM and BJP of having adjustment politics, which is even reflected in the declaration of candidates. On the other hand, the BJP is trying to centre its campaign around real-time issues like the eight-year-long construction of the Town Hall. If voted to power, we would definitely speed up the construction activities, BJPs Karichiyil ward councillor Jeevanlal C S said. Stating that only private firms are benefiting from the job fairs hosted by the municipality, he added that the party has several youth-oriented projects too. Attingal is an RSS-stronghold, and we expect that too to translate into votes, he said.

With new-found confidence, Kerala youth is a 311 storm sweeping bodybuilding arena

MALAPPURAM: At 3 ft 11 in, Abhijith P P is redefining conventional concepts of physique and body aesthetics. A two-time Mr Malappuram, former Mr Kerala, and recent Mr South India titleholder in the para bodybuilding category, Abhijith turned a lifetime of bullying into fuel for an extraordinary journey. Beyond the competitive stage, 21-year-old uses social media to inspire thousands, sharing his transformation and urging others to rise above their insecurities. Bodybuilding, he says, gave him a life he never thought possible. I was a very reserved person. Many of my relatives and neighbours thought I was worthless because of my stature. It affected my confidence, he recalls. In 2022, I started my BCom at Zamorins Guruvayurappan College. Even then, after classes, I spent most of my time at home. That changed when two neighbours, Sharath and Bibin both fitness freaks encouraged him to join a gym. That was the turning point of my life, says Abhijith, who hails from Chelari, Malappuram. The transformation was swift and empowering. In the first month itself, I could see my body changing. Muscles were building, giving shape to my physique. To motivate me further, the gym owners asked me to participate in a district-level competition. I went without any expectations, but I won first prize. And I never looked back. He has secured sponsorships for supplements, easing the financial burden of taking up the sport. Since then, bodybuilding has been his singular focus. He has secured sponsorships for supplements, easing the financial burden of taking up the sport. Bodybuilding totally changed my life. From being shy and introverted, I began talking to people. During my college days, students who once ignored me started approaching me. Even relatives and neighbours who thought I would be a burden to my parents now look at me with respect. That respect is the biggest prize bodybuilding has given me. With renewed confidence and a growing list of achievements, Abhijith has now set his eyes set on the Mr India competition, scheduled to be held in Thrissur on January 31, 2026.

Renewed visa Israeli gift for Kannur womans heroics during Hamas attack

KOCHI: There are many real-life heroes among us who dont court attention, but end up getting recognised nonetheless. During the Hamas offensive of October 7, 2023, Sabitha Baby displayed great presence of mind and bravery in safeguarding the elderly couple she was caring for in Kibbutz Nir Oz, a settlement in southern Israel, near the Gaza border. And, as it ended up, the 40-year-olds effort didnt go unnoticed. The Israeli government has approved Sabithas second-term B1 regular work visa, which is automatically renewed annually for every five-year term. This is a gracious gift from the Israeli government. Now, if I want to stay beyond five years, I can renew my visa, Sabitha told TNIE by phone from Nir Oz. The standard duration for an Israeli caregiver work permit/visa (B1) is five years and three months. The countrys regulations permit extensions or re-employment under specific guidelines for caregivers who have been in the country for between 52 to 63 months. New guidelines allow workers to take on temporary positions while still in Israel, up to the 63-month limit. Prior to October 7, 2023, Israel used to recruit workers from Gaza, said Sabitha, who hails from Kannur. However, this stopped after the Hamas attack. The need for trained caregivers and workers in other sectors increased. The elderly couple who were under Sabithas care passed away not long after this. At the time, she had completed three years and eight months in her caregiving role in the country. Taking a job with another employer, she continued working in Israel for four years and five months. The Israeli government allows a caregiver to stay back for a year, under a humanitarian visa, if the patient being cared for dies during the period of the visa. After the surviving member of the couple she was caring for was transferred to a nursing home, Sabitha only had a few months left on her visa. So, she decided to apply for jobs that open up when contracted caregivers take vacation leave. Around the time, I received a call enquiring whether I would be ready to work in Nir Oz. I was contacted by Dalit, the daughter of the elderly couple, Rachel and Shmoulic, whom I had been taking care of when Hamas struck. She asked me to come back as she had a job for me in the community. I was contracted to look after an elderly woman named Margalit Moses, who had been abducted by Hamas. She was released as part of the second ceasefire deal, said Sabitha. Good fortune smiled on Sabitha when the Moses family and Dalit moved papers highlighting her contribution in safeguarding Israeli citizens. The government cleared the papers within two hours and granted me a regular visa. This is a rarity in Israel, added Sabitha. Reliving the memories of the Hamas offensive, Sabitha said, The house we lived in had been converted into a transit spot by militants. Hence, it was not burnt down. All other houses on both sides of the streets had been looted and gutted, their occupants either abducted or killed. Sabitha and her colleague Meera managed to barricade the safe room of the house for more than 12 hours. Since arriving in Israel in 2021, I have witnessed frequent bombings. But, October 7, 2023, was something very different. We were saved by the grace of God, she reminisced.

Ongoing interstate pvt bus strike, festive rush send airfares soaring in Kerala

KOCHI: The ongoing indefinite strike by several private-bus operators across south India has seen airfares go through the roof, particularly on key sectors such as Kochi-Bengaluru and Kochi-Hyderabad. This, coupled with the early rush for Christmas booking has pushed flight ticket costs to new highs, with some fares more than double their normal range. Ticket prices on Kochi-Bengaluru route for Thursday ranged from Rs 8,730 to a staggering Rs 29,400, compared with the normal range of Rs 2,300-7,000. And, fares on the Hyderabad-Kochi sector for December 21 (Sunday) hover from Rs 12,418 to Rs 27,900, far exceeding the normal Rs 3,200-5,000 range. According to Biji Eapen, national president of the IATA Agents Association of India, the average flight ticket price for the week leading up to Christmas has already breached the Rs 10,000 mark and is expected to skyrocket further as the festival season approaches. Airfares from Kochi to sectors like Bengaluru and Hyderabad have rises, while those for the Christmas season have skyrocketed. The situation will be worse as we near the festival season. The continuing strike by inter-state private bus operators is a key factor. Airlines follow a dynamic pricing system despite instructions from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to increase flight capacity and cap fares during the festive season and publish on their websites in advance the move to hike fares. The sector is unregulated. In fact airlines can increase the demand artificially by showing lower seat capacity, he pointed out. Bus operators crisis The root cause of the current travel chaos lies in the ongoing protest by inter-state private bus operators, who are demanding relief from what they describe as unfair taxes levied by Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. While a small group of operators have resumed service, the majority are continuing the strike, said Rijas A J, vice-president of the Intercity Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India and owner of Sona Travels. The financial burden is immense. An operator must pay Rs 12 lakh as tax for running a single service (two buses) for a 90-day period. This unsustainable cost is pushing bus owners into a crisis, with many fearing their assets could be seized by lending institutions by early next year. We also cant increase ticket prices as the same will result in a drop in demand. This is especially so with the newly launched Vande Bharat service on the Kochi-Bengaluru sector, Rijas said. The crisis has impacted even major players. FlixBus, a multinational giant, has reportedly threatened to halt operations in sectors like Alappuzha-Bengaluru and Alappuzha-Hyderabad due to the tax issue, having already drastically cut down on services. With private bus travel largely unavailable, travellers are increasingly reliant on KSRTC and rail alternatives. A senior KSRTC official confirmed that the corporation continues to operate additional services to Bengaluru. Furthermore, the Railways has stepped in, announcing the augmentation of coaches in trains destined for Chennai, such as the addition of one sleeper coach to Train No 22640 (Alappuzha-MGR Chennai Central Express) for several days in late November.

Two fronts under one roof: couples poll journey gains buzz

SCs advisory opinion offers mixed bag of opportunities for Kerala

State may be able to take up the case of Bills pending either with the Governor or President beyond a reasonable time based on the courts decision on limited judicial review. But the no-timeline verdict can act as a setback

CPI(M) faces rebel heat in Unichira ward

70 kg of sandalwood seized, five arrested in Ernakulam

Kerala HC seeks steps to prevent vlogging inside driver compartment of moving buses, lorries

Motor vehicles that flouted safety standards in this manner, posing threat to the safety of passengers and other road users must be penalised, says HC

KWA working on redesign of chamber 1 of water storage tank at Thammanam

Amoebic encephalitis claims one more life in Kerala

26-year-old woman, a native of Nedumangadu, had developed fever and headache in the first week of October

Padmakumars arrest renders the government vulnerable to criticism from the Congress and the BJP.

The Congress and the BJP have sought to push the arrest of Padmakumar and, earlier, former Devaswom Commissioner N. Vasu, both CPI(M)s political appointees, to the top of their election rhetoric in the spirited campaigning for the local body polls in December

Empowered to search and seize smuggled gold, Customs informs HC

SKSSF holds campus visit programme

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Passenger information system, QR code ready for launch in city

It is part of the phased rollout of BUSZ, an advanced mobility solution for transforming public transport with smart solutions

Arrest of former TDB president Padmakumar raises new questions

Information has emerged that the initial application regarding the gold, submitted by Unnikrishnan Potti , was received not by the TDB but the Devaswom department under Kadakampally Surendran

Leptospirosis cases, deaths surge in State

Defections across parties roil pre-poll scene in Kozhikode district

Long-time party workers from multiple political fronts are on the list of persons who recently quit their parent organisations after disagreements over candidate selection

Trinamool blocks party symbol amid rift with Anvar

SIT arrests former TDB president and CPI(M) leader A. Padmakumar in the Sabarimala gold theft case

Officials say SIT has reportedly indicted Mr. Padmakumar mainly for bequeathing an undue financial benefit to the prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti in 2019, by presiding over the wilful miscategorisation of the gilded panels as made of pure copper before entrusting them to the personal custody of the main suspect, ostensibly for restoring them to their original golden shine

Cyclone likely to take shape over Bay of Bengal by next week

Heavy rain likely in seven districts on November 21

Good service entry for police officers

Kerala HC directs secretaries of local bodies to remove unauthorised boards from public spaces

Necessary action must be initiated against those who installed them, says High Court Bench

Women beat forest officers struggle as Marayur sandal division lacks basic amenities

There is no toilet or resting facilities for the women officers and they patrol the deep forests of the Marayur and Kanthalloor ranges unarmed

Railways urged to reconsider moveto allow global fastfood giants at railway stations

Railway Ministrymust reconsider the decision urgently and strengthen platforms that promote traditional, nutritious, and locally sourced indigenous foods, says Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action

13 amendments to statutes, ordinances cleared by Calicut varsity Senate pending with Chancellors office

Over 400 vacant seats in FYUGPs in Sanskrit varsity

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Sabarimala pilgrim dies after collapsing on Sathram forest path

Woman nabbed for alleged theft attempt at jewellery shop

KAUAPEDA workshop stresses blockchain, AI tools for safer, traceable food supply chains

Sessions covered blockchain platforms, data security, drone-based monitoring and policy needs to accelerate adoption across Keralas spice and coffee sectors.

Delhivery opens all-women distribution centre in Kerala

Delhivery's Kochi centre employs women across roles, including operations, delivery, and team leadership, and is equipped to process more than 1,000 parcels a day.

Sabarimala gold theft case: SIT arrests former TDB president A. Padmakumar

A member of the Pathanamthitta district committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a former MLA, he is the eighth accused in the case

A neurosurgeons art operation

Beauty is most beautiful when it is simple. Trust a neurosurgeon, someone who has studied the labyrinths within the brain, saying that. The contours are difficult to manoeuvre, yet their beauty lies in their precision. Surgical precision. Immersed in one of her favourite paintings with an injured hand. Dr Usha Shajehan, who was a neurosurgeon for over two decades, probably understood the simplicity of beauty best through her profession. Her paintings, to be exhibited at the Vylopilly Samskriti Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram from November 22 to 26, will reflect this understanding amply. The 140 paintings that will be on display were created over the past year. A friend, Leela, the wife of Prof. I S Gulati, urged me to take up painting again. I had not painted for the entirety of my career, when complex brain surgeries filled up my time, says Dr Usha. During that phase, there was no mood for colours or sketches. But somewhere within me lingered a passion that had been awakened long ago, when I was 18. A friend named Sreedevi saw my biology sketches and told me I could sketch and paint. That stirred something within me. I did some artworks then, but on entering the medical world, I kept them as a cherished memory. Dr Ushas painting spree restarted last year when she was asked to touch up some prints of Jamini Roy that hung on Leela Gulatis wall. That exposed me once again to the world of paintings, she says. Some of Dr Usha's works: Quiet Majesty 'Ignite your soul' From then on, it was quite a passion unleashed. I painted relentlessly over 140 frames in a year. Some days, it used to be more than two paintings. Dr Ushas paintings reflect her penchant for simplicity, as does her attitude. What I see around me is a beautiful piece of poetry called life. And that is what strikes me the most. I want to paint it in all its lucidity. It shouldnt spark any intellectual tug-of-war, she says. Aligned with this thought, she paints an elephant basking in all its majesty, letting nature reveal itself through little nuances. So too are her watercolours of the verdant life in the woods. The gurgling ponds, stretches of greenery around softly undulating hills, and wildlife that reflects a quiet contentment in serene, simplistic environs. 'Waiting' 'Guardian Angel' It is the simple, organic happiness that I wanted to capture. Thats what most people seek. Havent you seen how works by Raja Ravi Varma or Jamini Roy even now fill souls with a unique sense of charm and calm? The beauty of nature, of life, of everything around me that naturally, seamlessly, and effortlessly stretches beyond the apparent towards the innate is what appeals to meand what I paint. I dont go looking for it. It just happens. I call it a higher influence a touch of grace or a feeling of oneness, quite Advaitic in a way, says the Kochi-born doctor based in Thiruvananthapuram. Drs Usha and Shajehan She loves working her brush inspired by the photographs taken by her husband, Dr Shajehan Shivasankara Pillai, who was also a neurosurgeon. He is an avid photographer, whose works form a body on their own. We travel quite a bit, and these journeys inspire both of us. I also take inspiration from his photographs and paint accordingly, says Dr Usha, who is also a keen cyclist, swimmer, and explorer. The couple quit medicine three years ago. We had enough of the field, although we enjoyed every bit of it. We felt it was time to delve into something that connected with our core, says Dr Usha. I learnt a lot from my profession diligence, nuanced discipline, steadfastness, and above all, fast and precise work. These now help me in pursuing my passion. Dr Ushas upcoming exhibition will be inaugurated by her good friend, Wing Commander S K G Nair (retd), who will do the honours in a very informal manner. If celebrities come to inaugurate, it becomes more of a publicity gimmick. I responded to a friends request to conduct the exhibition. Yet, to me, this is a very personal space. I wish to share it with those who want to be in the same space. The paintings selected too are that way, she says. The slow pace Dr Usha has tuned herself to defines most of her paintings, which are classified into collections such as Sunset, Waterscapes, Divine Presence, Fields, and Light and Shade. There are works in different media too watercolour, pastels, acrylic, etc. 'A Taste of the Past' I am an untrained painter who learnt the colour choreography all by myself. Training would have stripped me of my instinct. The instinct, I feel, is natures way of connecting to me, she says, pointing to her first oil pastel, painted at the Vazhalikkavu Bhagavathi Temple at Thozhupadam in Thrissur. I painted with a sling because I had injured my arm in a fall. But the entire scene created in me an undying urge to paint. I titled it Ignite Your Soul to show how the call from the soul cannot be ignored.

Sabarimala darshan: Spot booking capped at five thousand every day

Pathanamthitta: Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Thursday announced that spot booking for Sabarimala darshan has been capped at 5,000 people per day, officials said on Thursday. The spot booking was capped following the Kerala High Courts direction, a press release said. Spot booking will be available only at the Nilakkal and Vandiperiyar centres. The facility Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Sabarimala Gold Theft Case: Former Devaswom Board President A Padmakumar Arrested

A Padmakumar is a senior CPI(M) leader in Pathanamthitta district and has represented Konni constituency in the Kerala legislative assembly

Stepfather Of Kerala Teen Who Escaped ISIS Indoctrination Has A History

The stepfather of a 16-year-old teenager in Kerala, who escaped from a religious study centre that tried to make him join ISIS, has turned out to be the brother of a suspect in another terror case from 2016, sources said.

Former TDB president Vasu in SIT custody over Sabarimala gold theft case

KOLLAM : The Kollam Vigilance Court on Thursday sent former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president N Vasu to the custody of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with the theft and misappropriation of gold slabs from the Sabarimala temple. The custody ends at 4 p.m. today, after which he will be produced before the court. He will be interrogated at the Kollam Police Club. The prosecution argued that police custody was essential to examine Vasus role in the case and to verify whether he had any direct financial links with the first accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, and whether he benefited from the alleged theft. The court accepted the argument. The defence opposed the custody, stating that Vasu had already been questioned once and that further custodial interrogation would cause mental and physical distress. They also argued that the alleged incident did not occur during his tenure as either TDB president or commissioner. The court rejected the objections. Vasu has been named the third accused in the case involving gold-plated copper casings that covered the stone carvings and sculptures of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. According to the SIT, the slabs were incorrectly recorded as copper in a letter submitted by Vasu to the Board. The Board approved the letter on 26 February 2019 and later decided to hand over the slabs to Potti on 19 March 2019. The removal was carried out based on an order issued by Devaswom Secretary S Jayashree. The investigation report cites serious lapses on the part of officials, including Vasu, and states that the gold was lost due to irresponsible administrative actions and failures within the Board. Vasu was arrested on Tuesday by the SIT appointed by the High Court to probe the alleged misappropriation of the gold-plated casings.

Sabarimala gold theft case: SIT questioning former TDB president A. Padmakumar

Though there is no official confirmation on the proceedings, it is suspected that Padmakumars arrest may be recorded after the interrogation

After Kerala HC order, Travancore Devaswom Board caps Sabarimala spot bookings at 5,000 per day

Restrictions on spot bookings will remain in place till November 24

After HC rap over overcrowding, Sabarimala spot bookings capped at 5,000 a day

PATAHNAMTHITTA: Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Thursday announced that spot booking for Sabarimala darshan has been capped at 5,000 people per day, officials said on Thursday. The spot booking was capped following the Kerala High Court's direction, a press release said. Spot booking will be available only at the Nilakkal and Vandiperiyar centres. The facility has been temporarily suspended at Pampa, Erumeli, and Chengannur and the restrictions will remain in place until November 24, officials said. TDB has urged devotees arriving for Sabarimala darshan to secure their slots through the Virtual Queue system as far as possible. Kerala High Court's division bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar criticised TDB, saying that the situation at the shrine had recently spiralled out of control as nearly two lakh pilgrims arrived within 48 hours of the temple opening on November 17. With nearly one lakh pilgrims were allowed darshan every day during the MandalamMakaravilakku season and more than 50 lakh visiting annually, the judges said the present arrangements were far from adequate.

Sabarimala Darshan: Spot Booking Capped at 5,000 Every Day

The spot booking was capped following the Kerala High Court's direction

Sabarimala Darshan announces major change for spot bookings; check details

The Travancore Devaswom Board has capped spot bookings for Sabarimala darshan at 5,000 per day, following a Kerala High Court directive. This restriction, effective until November 24, applies only to Nilakkal and Vandiperiyar centers, with Pampa, Erumeli, and Chengannur facilities suspended. Devotees are urged to use the Virtual Queue system due to overcrowding concerns.

Southern Railway to launch Indias first coast-to-coast parcel express train between Royapuram (Chennai) and Mangaluru Central

The timetabled logistics service connecting key business hubs of Tamil Nadu and Kerala will commence on December 12 from Mangaluru

Kerala local body polls: Fed up with neglect, Mundamveli apartment residents to field own candidate

Residents of P&T Apartment Complex at Mundamveli have decided to boycott candidates of all major political fronts contesting from the Mundamveli East division of Kochi Corporation

Kerala local body polls: UDF will weaponise govt. policies in civic battle, says E.T. Mohammed Basheer

In a candid chat with The Hindu, the Indian Union Muslim Leagues national organising secretary and Lok Sabha member from Malappuram asserted that State-level politics, especially the policies of the State government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, will be the focus of the upcoming elections

Kerala local body polls: No clear favourites in southern districts

While the ruling LDF, traditionally strong in the region, is seeking to expand its welfare projects, its opposing fronts, UDF and NDA, are inviting voters attention to the inadequacies in such schemes and other hyper-local concerns

Kerala local body polls 2025: A keen contest in the offing in Kalamassery municipality

A traditional bastion of the Congress for nearly three decades, the civic body has remained in the UDF kitty. However, in the 2021 byelection the Left front gave the UDF a tough fight

Kerala Lottery Result Today, November 20, 2025 Live: Karunya Plus KN-598 Winning Numbers

Kerala Lottery Result Today Live Updates, 20-11-2025: Heres Guessing Numbers for Karunya Plus KN-598 for Thursday, November 20. Check the full list of winning numbers from 3 pm.

Murder of a merchant without a past

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Long before police pieced together the lies he lived and died for, Harihara Varma built a life like a man who knew how to stay just outside the reach of questions. He sold gemstones whose origins he never fully explained, claimed ancestral links he never proved and told stories so confidently that even seasoned buyers found themselves leaning in. It was these tales that drew a group of young men into his orbit, ultimately paving way for his demise. What happened on December 24, 2012, was a murder wrapped inside a scam. Varma walked into what he believed was a business deal with buyers from Karnataka who posed as high-profile men looking to acquire rare and precious stones. In truth, everything about that meeting was scripted, a trap the gang spent seven months constructing. They used SIM cards acquired using fake Aadhaar cards. They created a fictitious persona the son of a Karnataka minister to make the deal look grander. A lawyer, the sixth accused, was the middleman. The meeting place was the lawyers daughters locked house in Vattiyoorkavu. The police would later say the planning was almost immaculate. But as retired Intelligence Range SP R Prathapan Nair, who was part of the Special Investigation Team, puts it, No matter how meticulous, there will always be a lead. Harihara Varma In this case, the lead was a phone number the killers thought they had erased. All their devices were destroyed after the murder, every SIM discarded. But one phone number they had used to contact Varma, eight months earlier, resurfaced under the Vattiyoorkavu mobile tower on the very day the murder took place. It was enough. Once police pulled that thread, the rest of the conspiracy was solved. The gangs plan was not to kill him but to sedate him, take the stones and disappear. When negotiations failed and Varma refused to finalise the deal, they tried sedatives and then chloroform. The dosage went wrong, and the robbery turned into homicide. But the real mystery of the case was not the murder. It was the man at the centre of it. Police soon realised that very little about Harihara Varma was real. His tales of a Poonjar ancestral lineage and inherited jewels were fabrications. His documents raised more questions than answers. To this day, officers believe he might have been an orphan, someone who ran away in his teens, wandered across northern India, and slowly built a new identity. The police made enquiries to various royal families. However, they couldnt find anyone named Bhaskara Varma and his son Harihara Varma. Even the stones that drove the conspiracy turned out to be far less valuable than believed. Then assistant commissioner, now Kozhikode Rural SP K E Baiju, recalls how the team searched across the country for an accredited gem expert to authenticate Varmas collection. There was none. The stones were eventually deemed semi-precious, worth about `30 lakh together, nothing to justify the greedy fantasy that led to his death. They thought it was worth `300 crore, says Baiju. Varmas wife, Girija Menon, later moved the court, saying some stones had ties to the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. But since the investigation could never establish anything substantial, thecourt later dismissed it. She had lived with him for more than 15 years. Yet, even when the investigation reached its most crucial stages, his wife did not disclose his identity. I believe she knows. But we cannot force them into polygraph tests, adds Baiju. The case was later handed over to the crime branch. They found 3,647 gemstones, which included 65 pearls, 73 emeralds, 22 chrysoberyl stones, 4 rubies, 5 sapphires and 29 yellow sapphires. Several were brilliantly cut, some were unpolished, some were of doubtful quality, and 341 of them were later determined to be artificial. However, a geologist who examined them would testify that 3,306 stones were naturally formed precious stones, even if not all were high-value gems. The killers Jithesh, Ajeesh, Rakhil, and Ragesh were eventually convicted and handed life sentences. Joseph and lawyer Haridas were acquitted. The murder investigation was closed with clarity. However, the tale of Varma, his origins, his curated persona, and his secrets remain unresolved to date. The man left behind no verifiable past. CasE diary This weekly column brings you exciting, intriguing police stories, straight from the crime files

BJP holds mega meet with candidates, promises development in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP on Wednesday held a mega meeting here with the 101 NDA candidates contesting in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections, assuring that the party would ensure comprehensive development in the state capital if voted to power. Addressing the public, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the party would present a detailed development plan for the city within 45 days of assuming office, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also be present for the announcement. We will present our development plan within 45 days. Every year, we will release a development assessment report. The BJP guarantees a corruption-free administration. Each ward will have modern health centres. We will ensure all these, he said. Attacking the LDF and UDF, Chandrasekhar said both fronts had failed the capital city on key issues. What have the UDF and LDF done for Thiruvananthapuram - be it the stray dog menace, waste management, or drinking water supply? They have done nothing. Give the NDA a chance, and we will deliver development, he said. Referring to the Lok Sabha election, Chandrasekhar alleged that he lost due to a CPM-Congress fixed match.

Neyyatinkara braces for tight fight as LDF, UDF eye majority

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Neyyatinkara municipality one of the oldest local bodies in the state is set for a tight fight as the LDF and UDF prepare to lock horns, while the BJP aims to increase its seats. Though the LDF has traditionally held a strong presence, the last term saw a shift in momentum with the UDF securing 17 seats in the 44-member council. LDF which is ruling the municipality has 18 members while BJP has 9 seats. Located near the upcoming Vizhinjam International Seaport, Neyyatinkara holds vast development potential. However, the municipality continues to suffer from a slew of civic issues ranging from traffic congestion due to delayed NH works, bad roads, ineffective waste management, and lack of basic infrastructure. Developing Neyyatinkara into a major satellite city aligned with the infrastructure demands of the Vizhinjam Port, improving motorable roads, setting up an industrial estate, heritage conservation, and establishing a multiplex theatre are among the main offerings by all three political fronts LDF, UDF and BJP. Both the LDF and UDF claim that there is no triangular fight and that the real contest is between them, asserting that the BJP is not in the picture. Both fronts claim that the BJP will not increase its seats, let alone manage to win the same number it secured last term. After delimitation, the number of wards in Neyyatinkara Municipality has increased by two. The new wards are Chemmanthattu and Therannur, taking the total number of wards to 46. CPM Neyyatinkara area secretary T Sreekumar said that the LDF will return to power more strongly this time. The LDF has fielded young candidates, with only five candidates above 50 years of age. He said that the LDF is planning a slew of development activities to elevate Neyyatinkara into a model city. Once the Vizhinjam Port becomes fully operational, Neyyatinkara is set to witness major development in tourism and allied industries. Our aim is to bring development aligned with the port. We plan to create a comprehensive tourism circuit within the municipality by connecting all key destinations. A multiplex theatre complex is lacking here, and a major thrust will be given to conserving and developing the cultural and heritage aspects of Neyyatinkara. As for the elections, the BJPs seat share will come down this time, and the real contest will be between the LDF and the UDF, said T Sreekumar. The UDF is hoping to win a minimum of 25 seats and capture the Neyyatinkara municipality. The recent allegations of sexual harassment and abetment of suicide against UDF municipal councillor Jose Franklin have put the party on the defensive, though the UDF maintains that the controversy will not affect its electoral prospects. District Congress Committee general secretary Vinod Sen said that the LDF has failed to carry out basic infrastructure development in any of the wards and that this will reflect in the local body elections. The municipality is lagging 15 years behind because of the lack of development. We have announced all our candidates without any internal issues or fights, and we were able to launch the campaign. We are confident that we will win this year. He alleged that the ward delimitation was done in such a way that the CPM and BJP gained advantage. The reservation has come as a blow to the BJP, and in many of their sure seats they are now fielding women candidates against their plan, he said. Meanwhile, the BJP is hopes to increase its presence in the municipality. At present, the party holds nine seats in the 44-member council. S K Jayakumar, a BJP candidate, said that the LDF and UDF have been ruling the Neyyatinkara Municipality for decades, making it one of the most poorly developed municipalities in the state. Our aim is to bring the development that this 112-year-old municipality truly deserves. The LDF has failed to bring any development that matches the growth happening around us. We want to change this and ensure real development, said Jayakumar.

Kochi police probe self-styled nun for online threat to bomb Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

KOCHI: Police have launched an investigation into a self-proclaimed nun of the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (CMC) who called for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to be harmed, on social media on Wednesday. The suspect, Teena Jose, an advocate residing at Pookkaranmukk near Padma Junction, came under scrutiny following intelligence inputs and a complaint submitted to the director general of police. However, no case has been formally registered, a top source with Kochi city police said. The alleged threat appeared in the comments section of a Facebook post shared by Selton L DSouza on the CMs participation in the local-body election campaign. Teena allegedly called for a bomb attack on the chief minister. When questioned by a special squad, she claimed it was merely an emotional remark, the officer said. An officer with Ernakulam Central police said, While the incident falls under our jurisdiction, a case has not been registered as no formal complaint has been received. Since the remark was made on a public platform, anyone can file a complaint, after which action will be taken. Meanwhile, in a press release, CMCs Vimala province said the congregation strongly condemns Teenas social media post suggesting harm to the chief minister. Teenas membership was revoked in 2009 under canonical laws and she is not permitted to wear the religious attire, the press note said. The congregation also clarified that all of Teenas actions are entirely her personal decision and responsibility.

Missed Sabarimala darshan turns blessing

PATHANAMTHITTA: For Girija Murali from Kollams Kallambalam, this years Sabarimala pilgrimage was to be a long-awaited spiritual moment. Carrying virtual queue passes, she began the climb with hope, accompanied by two children and six other women, as part of a 17-member group. But on Tuesday, the hill shrine was overwhelmed by an unexpected surge of pilgrims forcing Girija, two children and six other women to turn back from Pampa to Nilakkal. Exhausted and anxious thinking that they would not be able to have darshan despite having valid passes, they began the journey downhill, their disappointment quiet but palpable. But what unfolded next turned that despair into relief. When the matter came to ADGP S Sreejiths attention, chief coordinator for Sabarimala Police, he immediately instructed officers to ensure darshan for the group. Police personnel traced the women, and guided them all the way back up the hill, ensuring that the elderly and the children were comfortable through every step of the climb. Soon, Girija and the others finally stood before Lord Ayyappa with their hands folded -- a moment they thought had slipped away just hours earlier. After a peaceful darshan, the group descended the hill, expressing gratitude to the officers who had intervened at the right time. According to the ADGP, the difficulty arose because several pilgrims reached Pampa on Tuesday without virtual queue passes.

Spot slots cut to 5,000 to manage pilgrims rush in Sabarimala

PATHANAMTHITTA/KOCHI : A drastic reduction in spot bookings and tighter restrictions on forest routes were among the measures taken by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Wednesday to manage the unprecedented rush of devotees that caught authorities unawares and led to complete system collapse in Sabarimala on Tuesday, the second day of the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. The decision follows strong remarks by the Kerala High Court earlier in the day. Cautioning there was a real chance a catastrophe could occur at the hill shrine, the HC ordered assessment of Sabarimalas carrying capacity. The TDB capped spot booking to 5,000 pilgrims per day, from the earlier 20,000, until Monday, and said only 5,000 pilgrims would be allowed via forest routes, including Pullumedu. The first unit of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also took charge at Sannidhanam. The 30-member team from the 4th Battalion of NDRFs Thrissur Regional Response Centre has been stationed along critical stretches near the Sopanam and along the Nadapanthal. Seven more booking counters were started at Nilakkal, with the base camp also serving as the first point of restriction. Preparations should have started six months ago Two hundred more staff members have been deployed at the queue complex, and another 200 will be added to manage toilet cleaning and sanitation-related work, TDB president K Jayakumar said. As many as 2,98,310 pilgrims have offered darshan at the shrine till the start of the pilgrimage season on November 16. ADGP S Sreejith said all pilgrims reaching on the date allotted in their virtual queue pass will be able to offer darshan. The HC had rapped the TDB for lapses in preparations. A Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar observed that only a controlled number of devotees should be permitted entry. Noting that the arrangements for the pilgrimage season should have started six months earlier, the bench orally remarked that though the TDB is responsible for ensuring all facilities are in place, there appears to be no coordination. Measures taken for Crowd Management Spot booking capped at 5,000 pilgrims per day until Monday. Considering rush at Sannidhanam, this can be raised to 10,000 Max 5,000 pilgrims allowed on forest routes Virtual queue cap continues at 70,000 devotees a day. NDRF unit deployed at Sannidhanam 7 new booking counters opened at Nilakkal 200 staff deployed at queue complexes; 200 more to be engaged for cleaning toilets and sanitation-related works

Engineering students develop software to track EVMs

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two engineering students have developed a software to track the movement of more than half a lakh electronic voting machines (EVMs) to and from polling stations in the local body elections. Named EVM Track, the software was developed by Ashin C Anil and Jeswin Sunsi, third-year BTech students at SRM Institute, Chennai, under the supervision of State Election Commissions EVM consultant L Suryanarayanan. Ashin hails from Thiruvananthapuram, while Jeswin is a native of Thrissur. The software was formally launched by State Election Commissioner A Shajahan on Tuesday. EVMs that includes 50,693 ballot units and 1.37 lakh control units have already been subjected to first-level checks and are ready to use.

Parties tap womens networks to fight Kerala local body elections

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Political parties in Kerala are increasingly turning to women-centric grassroots networks such as Kudumbashree, ASHA workers, and the Haritha Karma Sena to identify promising candidates for the upcoming local body elections. With their deep connection to households and communities, many women find the transition from social service to electoral politics remarkably seamless. Like other states, Kerala also mandates 50% reservation for women in local self-governance under the Panchayati Raj Act, 2005. Since its implementation, womens participation has steadily expanded, with many now contesting even in general wards, breaking beyond the confines of reserved seats. According to officials, scores of members belonging to these women-centric networks are contesting local body polls. ASHA workers are one such force who have unmatched reach within communities. Consistent household visits, health surveys, mobilisation for immunisation drives, and child welfare interventions have given them a trustworthy image in society. There are around 26,000 ASHA workers in the state. 57-year-old Sunitha C, an ASHA worker since 2007, is contesting from the Chethukadavu ward of Kunnamangalam block panchayat. This is her second stint in electoral politics, having earlier served a successful five-year term between 2015 and 2020. A mother of two, Sunitha credits her family for their unwavering support. Things have changed. Women today are more empowered and capable of excelling in any field. I feel more women should come forward. Many are still hesitant, but they must step into the mainstream and inspire others to break the shackles, she said. Her long association with the community helps her campaign effortlessly. People are very welcoming because they know me well as an ASHA worker. I have always balanced both my responsibilities without compromise, she added. Another women-centric network Kudumbashree continues to be Keralas largest pool of women leaders. Its vast neighbourhood network of over 45 lakh members provides women exposure to livelihood activities, community engagements making them natural leaders with social commitment. According to Kudumbashree officials, hundreds of Kudumbashree members are contesting elections and in Thiruvananthapuram alone more than 50 women members are contesting. Anitha Y V, 49, is contesting her first election from the Peringamala ward under the Venganoor grama panchayat. A Kudumbashree member for the past 20 years, Anitha says the mission transformed her personality and confidence. Before Kudumbashree, I was a homely person. Today, I am who I am because of it. Im contesting from a general ward, and people already recognise and support me. I believe voters across political divides will back me, she said. She added that the gender divide in politics is slowly narrowing. Despite reservations for women, many are now contesting in general wards too. People are raising issues like poor road conditions, which will be a priority for me, she added. Just like Kudumbashree and ASHA workers, members of the Haritha Karma Sena - the backbone of Keralas decentralised waste management system - are also emerging as candidates in the upcoming local body polls. Their daily engagement with households and public spaces has made them familiar faces in their communities and strong contenders in electoral politics. There are around 37,000 Haritha Karma Sena members in the state. 41-year-old Sheeba Suresh, who is contesting from the Chenkulam ward of Pooyapally panchayat, sees the election as an opportunity. Politics has long been male-dominated, but things are slowly changing, and Im happy to be part of that change, said Sheeba, who has been a Haritha Karma Sena member for the past eight years. Sheeba believes her close interactions with residents will work in her favour. People know me well because of my work. If I win, I want to ensure my ward and public spaces remain clean and hygienic, she added. Senior politician K K Shailaja said that womens reservation has played a crucial role in bringing hundreds of women into the political mainstream. ASHA workers, Kudumbashree members, and Haritha Karma Sena workers contest elections because they are trusted in society and deliver excellent services. The past two local body elections clearly show a surge in such representation. Women are not just confined to reserved seats; many are confidently contesting from general wards as well, Shailaja said. Why parties turn to women-centric groups Deep household-level reach High public trust due to service roles Natural transition from community work to politics Asha workers: Health network turning political force 26,000 ASHA workers in Kerala Daily household visits and health surveys build strong public rapport Many entering electoral politics; trusted for reliability and visibility Kudumbashree: Keralas biggest women leadership pipeline 45 lakh members across neighbourhood groups Exposure to livelihoods and community work builds leadership traits Hundreds contesting polls; 50+ in Thiruvananthapuram alone (till date) Members widely recognised due to long community engagement Haritha Karma Sena: Waste-warriors turn candidates 37,000 members in Kerala Daily contact with households through waste collection Strong familiarity with residents makes them natural contenders

Face value! Giridharans moustache proves a smash hit on campaign trail

KANNUR: In the busy run-up to the local-body election, the UDF candidate for ward 9 of Valapattanam grama panchayat has been drawing attention for reasons far removed from political slogans or campaign promises. A popular figure in his locality of Kalarivathukkal, Giridharan V V stands out instantly in any crowd with his large, carefully groomed moustache, that has become his signature. Locals say that he looks like a character straight out of a film, and his distinguishing style has made him easily recognisable on the campaign trail. While others rely on posters and loudspeakers, the 70-year-olds unique look has already made him a memorable figure this election season. I used to maintain a small moustache before joining the military in 1976. After two years, I started growing it, and it started to gain attention. Throughout my service, both senior officers and colleagues appreciated my moustache. The only time I ever trimmed it was for my wedding, after which I let it grow back to its full, signature form, says Giridharan. It was smooth sailing as Giridharan went door-to-door on the hustings in his neighbourhood. But further afield, people were pleasantly surprised to see a candidate with such a striking face. But once his campaign photos began circulating, his distinctive moustache started attracting wider attention. What was once a local trademark soon becoming a talking point beyond the ward, adding to his popularity as the election season progressed. Many venture to ask him about his distinctive facial hair, with some even requesting permission to touch it -- which he obliges, albeit with a little hesitation. Several others make do with requests for photographs and selfies. Giridharan adds that even in Kalarivathukkal, people to whom his name may not ring a bell identify him by his moustache. Hailing from a family with a strong Congress background, several of his relatives have contested elections in the past. Growing up in such an environment gave Giridharan an early understanding of politics, which eventually inspired him to step forward and contest the election himself.

Sunni scholars caution against misleading Sufi groups

KOZHIKODE: Sunni scholars are cautioning believers against certain Sufi orders that they claim stand against the basic tenets of Islam and are spreading un-Islamic ideas in the name of Sufism. The immediate provocation was a press conference conducted by an organisation called the Sufi Islamic Board - Kerala on November 7 in Mannarkkad, Palakkad. In an article published in the Suprabhaatham daily, Islamic scholar Shuhaibul Haithami said the assertions made at the press conference were weird and make Sufism the launching pad for disbelief. Haithami said the basis of secular Sufis is the idea that one should forsake religion and become a human being, which is the slogan of atheists. The Sufi Islamic Boards argument that the Advaita concept of Aham Brahmasmi (I am the divine consciousness) and Islam are the same is born out of ignorance, he said. Haithami argued that there are different motives behind the creation of a common religion by mixing certain elements from existing faiths. There are attempts to assert that all religions are true. These Sufis also try create confusion by quoting Sufi poets like Jalaluddin Rumi and Omar Khayyam out of context, he said. He said the 62nd verse of the Surah Al Baqarah in the Quran has been constantly misinterpreted to argue that it is not mandatory to have faith in Islam and being a good human being is enough. The message of the Prophet is not to become good human beings but to worship Allah and to recognise Muhammad as the Prophet, Haithami said. In a related development, the mushawara (supreme consultative body) of the Kanthapuram faction of Sunnis said that Sufi are people who love and obey Allah and his Prophet and those who move away from this path cannot be treated as Sufis. A meeting of the mushawara on November 10 warned believers against falling into the trap of fake Sufis. It said Sheikh Jeelani, the leader of the true Sufis, had reminded that many of those who pose as Sufia may not be the real Sufis. We should be vigilant, especially when the enemies of Islam are getting organised under different titles, felt the mushawara, which was attended by senior scholars, including Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar and E Sulaiman Musliyar. At their presser, office-bearers of the Sufi Islamic Board said the Prophet propagated love, not the religion of Islam. They said the organisation includes people of all religions and upholds the tradition of the country that welcomed all faiths. They claimed that the board has been recognised by the Union ministry for youth and Sports.

Kerala HC order to constitute crowd management expert panel for Sabarimala

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to constitute a Sabarimala Infrastructure & Crowd Management Expert Committee, comprising specialists in transport engineering, urban and regional planning, civil engineering, disaster and crowd management, environmental science, public health, IT systems and data analytics. The experts shall analyse data, undertake field studies, and devise a comprehensive management plan in coordination with the TDB, police, forest department, health services, and district administration. The committee shall prepare a scientific master plan for each season after determining the carrying capacity of all nodes, and shall conduct both pre-season and post-season reviews to continually improve facilities. Further, the committee shall conduct a Geographical Information System (GIS)-based amenity audit, identifying, mapping, and geo-tagging all toilets, drinking water points, shelters, and medical kiosks, to detect blind zones and assess overall efficiency. In addition, a structural safety audit of walkways, barricades, railings, stairways, and holding areas is essential. This combined baseline data set shall form the backbone for all future decisions. The court said that no devotee must be subjected to unreasonable waiting without adequate shade, drinking water, sanitation, medical facilities, or rest areas. TDBs submission Though the Virtual-Q booking cap was fixed at 70,000 and spot booking was limited to 20,000, the inflow of pilgrims was so overwhelming that over 30,000 pilgrims were given entry without prior booking On the first day of the season, when the Nada opened at 4 pm, the permissible cap for entry was 30,000. However, on that very day, approximately 53,278 pilgrims reached Sannidhanam On Nov 17, though the Virtual-Q booking was capped at 70,000, the total footfall at Sannidhanam was 98,950, including spot bookings

What is SIR & why has it left voters confused?

KOCHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is currently conducting the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala . The first such exercise since 2002 is intended to review, update and streamline voter records ahead of the 2026 assembly election. What exactly is SIR? SIR is a detailed, one-time verification drive of electoral rolls, far more comprehensive than annual summary revisions. It involves booth-level officers (BLOs) visiting households, distributing forms and collecting updated voter details. Crucially, the process requires furnishing information that was recorded in the SIR conducted in 2002, including legislative assembly constituency (LAC), booth number and serial number. Given the 23-year gap since the last SIR, most voters understandably have no recollection of details and this seems to be the main challenge in the exercise. Why 2002 data is hard to trace The most significant challenge is the inability to fetch the old data from the Election Commission website. The main stumbling block is that one cant access old SIR data from the ECI website using the old voter ID number. Such a provision would have made the process much easier, said Gireesh Kumar, a BLO from Kudappanakunnu. Young voters and non-resident Indians (NRIs) who have relocated back home are among those struggling the most. One case Gireesh cited involved an elderly voter who returned from abroad long after 2002. He is now 83. His nearest relatives are all dead. Even if his father had a vote back then, he has no idea when or where he would have cast his vote. Were at a loss on how to retrieve the data, Gireesh said. Others are discovering discrepancies in previous rolls. I didnt have a voter ID card in 2002 since I was a minor, said Durga K S, a health official. Im struggling because I require my fathers details. He doesnt remember the booth he voted in, and it seems his name was misspelled then, which makes the search more difficult. Intervention by authorities To ease the burden, authorities have begun organising dedicated SIR help camps. Here, BLOs guide people through the online search system and assist in identifying 2002 records. We held the first of the series of camps on Tuesday. Many more will be held in the coming days, said Remya Nandanan, BLO in charge of Panangad. Reassuring voters, she said that there is ample time to complete the process. Voters neednt panic. They need to update their data only by May, before the assembly election. But, sooner the better.If a voters 2002 data cannot be traced, the ECI may send a notice for further verification. In some cases, the name may be withheld from the draft electoral roll until supporting documents establish eligibility. The most common issues faced by voters and their solutions What if voter has no recollection of booth name while retrieving 2002 data online? A. Log on to www.ceo.kerala.gov.in. Select your district and choose your LAC. Skip the Booth Name box and go straight to Voter Name. The name is to be entered in Malayalam. Those who are not well versed with the language can select the link given at the bottom of the page. You can type in English and the Google Tool will give the corresponding Malayalam word. How to deal with changes in administrative boundaries due to delimitation? A. The SIR form will have the contact number of BLO at the top. Ring up and confirm under which LAC you now fall before starting to take the previous SIR data online What to do if your name or house name is spelt wrongly in the voter ID or previous SIR? A. Continue with the data as it is, for now, as the voter list changes are temporarily frozen till the end of the SIR process. Once the same is completed, its advisable to change the name or house name as they appear in the Aadhaar card using Form 8 and submitting an application for the same. Confusion over old and new EPIC number, and where should the same be used? A. The two 10-digit EPIC numbers (in alphanumeric code) will be distinct in certain cases and unchanged in others. The new EPIC number of the spouse should be given in the first part of the form. The old EPIC number should be furnished in the second part -- data on a voters previous SIR details. How to go about confusing queries, especially with regards to previous SIR data on nearest relative of the voter (at bottom right side of the form)? A. One can easily get confused as to what to write in the right side column of the second part of the form -- Details of a voters relative included in the list of the last SIR. Against Voters Name, one must enter the name of the nearest relative (like father). Below that appears the EPIC No. One should provide the old EPIC number here. Then is Name of Voters relative. Here the name of the nearest relative of your nearest relative should be given. If you have given your fathers name, then you should enter the name of your grandfather (fathers father or the nearest relative of your father) there.

Thiruvananthapuram IS case catches NIA interest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The partner of the United Kingdom-based woman, accused of indoctrinating her teenage son to join the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organisation, is the brother of a convict in the Kanakamala IS module case, police said. This has evoked NIAs interest and the national agency is now closely monitoring developments, they said. Sideeq, brother of the womans partner Ansar, had served three years in prison and was released early this year, police said. It was Sideeq, who got the boy admitted in an orphanage near Attingal upon his arrival from the UK. Though the boy did not mention Sideeqs role in the alleged offence which took place in the UK, police said the involvement of the man has aroused their interest in the case, and has caught the attention of the NIA. The Venjaramoodu police had registered a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) on the basis of the boys complaint. As per the FIR, the boy gave a statement that Ansar showed him IS propaganda videos, including violent killings, and tried to groom him to join the terror group. The woman, who hailed from Nedumangad, had married the boys biological father, who hailed from a Muslim family in Pandalam. She was a Christian who converted to Islam after the marriage. They later moved to the UK. Ansar blackmailed boy, states FIR Their marriage hit a rough patch after Ansar entered their lives. Reportedly a family friend, Ansar soon got close to the woman. The statement given to the cops by the boy said his father did not like the proximity his mother had with Ansar, and parted ways with her. Ansar played ISIS-related songs to motivate him to join the group. His mother too endorsed Ansars view. When his parents were away, Ansar took the boy to a group of men, who spoke Arabic and were referring to guns and funeral prayer. Ansar gave him cigarettes and encouraged him to smoke. Later, Ansar threatened the boy that he would tell his parents about his smoking habits if he revealed to them about the videos, the FIR said. The boy is very close to his father and he told the cops that he wants to move back to the UK to join him. His mother, who is now in the state, told the cops that the boy was sent back to Kerala as he used to misbehave with his younger sister.

Malayalam losing appeal among SSLC students

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Are school students in Kerala steadily losing interest in Malayalam as a medium of instruction? As per the data from the Pareeksha Bhawan, the number of students who wrote SSLC exams in Malayalam has seen a significant fall from 55.93% in the 2018-19 academic year to 36.56% in 2024-25. Of the 4,27,017 students who appeared this March, only 1,56,161 wrote the exam in Malayalam medium, which is 87,000 less than the 2,43,409 students who appeared in 2019. Education experts attributed the fall to the public perception that studying in English medium will help students in future. Pareeksha Bhavan officials said the drop was due to the reduction in students studying in the Malayalam medium. A senior education department official said the ratio of English to Malayalam admission had nearly reached 70:30 in primary classes. The key reason is the public perception that English is somehow a better medium of instruction, said K Anvar Sadath, CEO of Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE). However, choosing English as the medium may not always translate into results, he said. Malayalam medium no. expected to fall in coming years We have noticed that the standard of students English in some Malayalam medium schools is excellent. So it is not the medium, but the language activities carried out in a school that would help improve communication skills, he said. Jayaprakash RK, director of State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), said the shift was an indicator of the rural-urban continuum Kerala had attained, and that the middle-class belt had widened. So, most parents wish to get their children admitted to English medium schools. The students who wrote the SSLC exam in 2025, joined Class 1 by 2014-15. So technically, these figures only represent a parents aspirational level a decade ago. The Malayalam medium numbers are only expected to fall in the coming years, he said. When contacted, Aikya Malayala Prasthanam state convenor R Nandakumar said the drop in numbers could lead to stagnation of development in the state. Malayalam is the baseline of all developments that have taken place in Kerala. A non-affinity to Malayalam could mean our students may not have proper awareness about their land, forests or seas. How can we expect a change if they dont know this? he said. Maintaining he was not against teaching English in schools, Nandakumar, however, said, If the right interventions are not made, this could lead to unprecedented problems.