In a significant development within the ongoing Malankara Church dispute, the Orthodox faction has expressed strong disapproval of the Kerala government's decision to appeal a High Court order regarding the implementation of a landmark Supreme Court judgment.
Speaking at the headquarters of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) in Devalokam, Kottayam, on Wednesday, the Church leadership voiced its frustration over the state government’s handling of the issue. The Orthodox faction criticized the government's move to appeal the Kerala High Court’s division bench ruling, which had previously rejected a petition challenging the lower court’s directive to enforce the Supreme Court’s decision.
This Supreme Court ruling, which aims to settle a century-old internal dispute within the Malankara Church, requires all parishes, including those currently under Jacobite control, to be governed under the Church’s 1934 constitution. The Orthodox faction argues that the government’s appeal to the Supreme Court undermines the judiciary’s role and could destabilize the Church’s administrative structure.
Yuhanon Mar Diascoros Metropolitan, head of the Orthodox Church’s media wing, took a strong stand against what he described as the government’s attempt to favor one faction over another. "The refusal to implement the Supreme Court order is a clear violation of democratic principles. This selective approach not only disregards the rule of law but also threatens to incite unrest within the Church," he said during a press briefing.
The Orthodox leadership warned that the government’s reluctance to follow through on lower court orders could have severe consequences. If the government continues to act unilaterally and fails to honor the court's directive, the Church will be left with no choice but to take a firm stance against these actions,” Mar Diascoros added.
The Church also questioned why the government, despite clear judicial directions, has not acted decisively to enforce the Supreme Court’s ruling. They suggested that the government’s decision to appeal is an effort to appease the Jacobite faction, which remains in control of several parishes, despite the 2017 Supreme Court ruling.
The Orthodox faction further emphasized that they have exercised patience and restraint throughout the ongoing dispute. Despite the legal clarity provided by the courts, they contend that the government's resistance to enforcing the ruling is unacceptable and risks creating broader societal chaos.
Also present at the press conference were Church trustees Fr. Thomas Varghese Amayil and Rony Abraham Varghese, along with Malankara Association Secretary Biju Oommen and spokesperson Dr. Johns Abraham Konat Reesh Cor Episcopa.
