Kerala High Court upholds ₹40,000 cost imposed by vacation bench

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday dismissed a review petition filed by MR Ajayan, an Ernakulam-based journalist, against the court’s decision on a holiday table that cost him ₹40,000.

The Division Bench of the High Court dismissed the review petition challenging the interim order passed by a vacation bench; This order found that he had filed petitions under Section 8 of the Kerala High Court Act, 1958, which deals with the powers of vacation judges. Petitions are generally filed under the Section only if the matter is of an urgent nature.

A vacation desk found that Mr. Ajayan had filed four petitions with the court regarding various issues but did not state the reason for the urgency. Among them was a person seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into alleged financial transactions between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions Private Limited, owned by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena T. Another PIL filed by him sought a CBI probe into the alleged misuse of gold from the Sabarimala temple.

Additionally, the lawyer representing him did not appear in court during the recess session. Soon the holiday bank charged itself ₹10,000 for each of the four cases.

The High Court on Tuesday said there was no reason to review the holiday table’s costs decision.