SC orders status quo in church dispute

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that the status quo be maintained in the long-standing dispute between the Malankara Orthodox and Jacobite factions over the administration of churches in Kerala.

- Utkarsh Anand

Emphasising the need to avoid further tensions, a bench of justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan directed that existing management and administrative arrangements be maintained until the next hearing, scheduled for January 29 and 30, 2025. The court clarified that the Kerala government may intervene in case of any untoward incidents.

"The private parties are directed to maintain the status quo in respect to the management and administrative control as it exists now. The State can intervene as and when required," the bench stated in its interim order.