Latest news with #PinarayiVijayan


Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Power ministers acknowledge lapses after class 8 student is electrocuted in Kerala school
A 13-year-old student was electrocuted on the premises of a school in Kerala's Kollam district on Thursday, sparking public outrage and questions over the safety of children studying in schools across the state. Following the incident, state ministers acknowledged lapses on the part of authorities and promised strict action. The incident occurred before school hours, when the class 8 student was playing with friends. According to witnesses, one of his slippers fell onto the aluminium roof of a shed attached to the school building. While attempting to retrieve it, he climbed onto the shed and lost his balance, falling onto a low-lying electric line. He was trapped on the live wire for nearly 10 minutes before being brought down. The boy, the son of a daily wage labourer, was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival. The incident has triggered strong reactions from across the political spectrum. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed deep condolences and assured that the government would thoroughly examine the circumstances of the tragedy and take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future. Activists and student unions affiliated with Opposition parties staged protests at the school, holding the state government responsible for alleged safety lapses. Electricity Minister K Krishnakutty admitted that there were lapses on the part of electricity board officials, specifically in allowing the low-lying electric line so close to a school building. Education Minister V Sivankutty also acknowledged failures among officials and vowed stringent action against those responsible. Opposition Leader V D Satheesan of the Congress demanded a safety audit of all schools in the state. 'We raised this issue five years ago when a student in Wayanad died after being bitten by a snake in her classroom. There must be a probe into how this school received its fitness certificate. With the school under CPI(M)-backed management, the government cannot avoid answering these questions,' he said.


News18
12 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Kerala HC stays proceedings against CM Vijayan over Nava Kerala Sadas violence
Kochi, Jul 17 (PTI) The Kerala High Court on Thursday stayed the proceedings initiated in a complaint seeking prosecution of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with the violence that occurred during the state government's outreach programme — 'Nava Kerala Sadas' — in 2023. Justice V G Arun stayed the proceedings for three months on a plea moved by Vijayan seeking quashing of the complaint and a July 3 order of a magisterial court in connection with a speech made by him during the Nava Kerala Sadas. It also issued notice to the state government and the complainant and sought their stand on the plea by October 14. The High Court noted that there was, prima facie, substance in the CM's contention that the Chief Judicial Magistrate exceeded his jurisdiction by entertaining the complaint as the alleged incidents took place outside the territorial limits of the magisterial court in Ernakulam. The High Court also said that the contention, in Vijayan's plea, that the contents of his speech do not attract the offence under section 109 (punishment for abetment) of the IPC 'is also liable to be considered". With the observations, the High Court said, 'Hence, there shall be an interim stay of further proceedings in CMP No.4322 of 2024 (complaint against the CM) pending on the files of the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Ernakulam, for three months." The court of Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate had on July 3 observed that a prima facie case did exist, but sanction for prosecution was required from the Governor to register a case against the CM. The observation came on the complaint by Ernakulam District Congress Committee (DCC) president Muhammed Shiyas seeking registration of a case against Vijayan in connection with the various instances of violence during the state government's outreach programme in 2023. The magisterial court was scheduled to take up the matter next on November 1. In his plea seeking quashing of the complaint and the July 3 order, Vijayan has said that the matter relates to a speech made by him on November 20, 2023 during the outreach programme with regard to Youth Congress activists allegedly obstructing his convoy. In his plea, the CM said that he only praised the bystanders who prevented the protestors from falling in front of the moving bus in which he was travelling and described their conduct as 'life saving". 'The petitioner (CM) did not endorse violence or call for retaliation," the petition has said. Subsequently, three 'stray incidents of political violence" occurred in different districts between November 30, 2023 and December 16, 2023 and the police registered FIRs against unnamed persons in those cases, the petition said. The FIRs did not name or implicate the CM, but the complainant filed a private complaint before the magisterial court alleging that Vijayan's speech amounted to abetment of those incidents, it said. 'Though the police submitted a report stating that no material was found against the petitioner (CM), the magistrate rejected the negative report and opined that the petitioner's speech prima facie amounts to instigation of criminal offences," it further said. The CM, in his plea, has claimed that the magisterial court's order was 'grossly erroneous and liable to be set aside" as it did not have the jurisdiction to deal with the matter and there was no factual or evidentiary material linking the petitioner's speech with the incidents of violence. The petition also claimed that the magistrate 'failed to apply his judicial mind, ignored material inconsistencies and conducted no preliminary enquiry into the FIRs or surrounding facts". Kerala Students Union and Youth Congress workers were allegedly assaulted by activists of the CPI(M)'s Democratic Youth Federation of India and the security personnel of the CM at various places across the state for showing black flags to Vijayan during the outreach programme. PTI HMP HMP KH view comments First Published: July 17, 2025, 19:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Time of India
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Nava Kerala Sadas' speech: Kerala HC stays proceedings against CM Pinarayi Vijayan
Kochi: High court on Thursday stayed for three months the further proceedings in the case alleging that chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan 's 'life saving' speech at Kannur during the Nava Kerala Sadas tour in 2023 amounted to the offence of abetment under Section 109 of IPC. The bench of Justice V G Arun issued the interim order while considering a petition by the chief minister challenging the Ernakulam chief judicial magistrate (CJM) court's order of July 3. The CJM court had held that the alleged speech prima facie contained elements of abetment, observing that it instigated the use of muscle power to suppress protestors. The court also held that cognizance of the offence could be taken only upon production of a sanction for prosecution from the governor. While considering Vijayan's petition, HC observed that there appears to be prima facie substance in the petitioner's contention that the CJM exceeded his jurisdiction by entertaining the complaint, since the alleged incident occurred outside the court's territorial limits. The bench also noted that the contention that the contents of the alleged speech do not attract the offence under Section 109 IPC is a matter requiring serious consideration. HC posted the matter for Oct 14. The case arises from a complaint filed by Ernakulam DCC president Muhamed Shiyas, alleging that a speech delivered by the CM at Kannur on Nov 20, 2023, during the Nava Kerala Sadas tour, amounted to abetment under Section 109 IPC. In the speech, the CM praised bystanders who prevented protestors from coming in front of the moving Nava Kerala Sadas bus, describing their actions as 'life saving.' The complaint alleged that this statement led to brutal attacks on Youth Congress workers who were protesting against the Sadas, accusing the govt of maladministration. The attacks were allegedly carried out by CPM, DYFI and SFI members. Earlier, acting on the CJM's directive, police had submitted a report finding no material against the CM. However, the CJM rejected the report, observing that the speech prima facie amounted to the instigation of criminal offences. In his petition, Pinarayi contended that the CJM, Ernakulam, lacked territorial jurisdiction to entertain the complaint since the alleged incident took place in Kannur. He also submitted that the complaint is politically motivated.


India Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Kerala to hold film policy meet to push long-pending reforms in Malayalam cinema
The Kerala Film Policy Conclave will be held on August 2-3 in Thiruvananthapuram, marking a major step towards a comprehensive cinema policy for the event comes in response to long-standing demands from the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), which has consistently called for structural reforms in the Malayalam film industry following the submission of the Hema Committee Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the conclave, which is set to host prominent personalities from across India and abroad. Representatives from 17 Indian states that already have cinema policies will join the 500 delegates expected to The two-day event will feature panel discussions on nine major topics, with participants encouraged to share their suggestions. Public engagement sessions are also planned, and feedback gathered will inform the final for Culture Saji Cherian noted that significant groundwork has already been laid. 'We aim to create a comprehensive cinema policy. A committee was formed in 2023, and around 20 meetings were held. I don't think any other policy in Kerala's history has gone through this level of discussion, both at the individual and organisational levels. The government doesn't plan to change this framework for now. We will present it at the conclave.'- Ends


Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
National highways proposed in Kerala now in limbo
Thiruvananthapuram: Two of Kerala's most significant road development plans, including the proposed Kozhikode-Mysore greenfield corridor and the declaration of 12 key road stretches as national highways (NHs), have hit a wall with Centre either stalling or quietly stepping back from earlier commitments. In a fresh representation to Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH), state urged urgent revival of both. Govt asked MPs from the state to take up the matter in Parliament. The Kozhikode-Mysore economic corridor, envisioned as a seamless 24-hour greenfield highway bypassing ecologically sensitive areas, was initially backed by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which engaged with forest department to finalise an alignment that would skirt major wildlife sanctuaries. However, the state flagged that NHAI was no longer pursuing the project actively—a development it described as "a matter of serious concern. " The proposed corridor was designed to offer uninterrupted interstate connectivity between Bengaluru and north Kerala, particularly vital in light of the night traffic ban on NH-766 and other roads passing through Bandipur and Wayanad forests. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan personally raised the issue with Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari during a meeting on Dec 6, 2024 but no follow-up commitments materialised. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo Equally troubling is Centre's failure to act on its earlier in-principle approval to declare 12 important road stretches in Kerala, totalling 484.6km, as NHs. While the directive to foreclose the preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs) came in July 2020, state is now pushing for these road stretches to be revived under the NH network, given that formal notification never followed despite the initial green light. The state's latest appeal underscores that these roads are strategically critical and their upgradation is even more urgent, considering Kerala's overburdened road infrastructure. State currently has just about 580km of NHs under PWD's purview. With one of the highest vehicle and population densities in the country, capacity expansion through centrally funded corridors is being projected as a non-negotiable priority. As these proposals under Bharatmala Pariyojana are being discontinued, state has submitted a fresh set of 17 road stretches covering 1,054km for inclusion in Vision 2047 Master Plan, which MoRTH is currently finalising. These corridors have been identified after a new assessment and reflect the evolving transport and logistics needs of the region, Kerala argues. Adding to its case, govt highlighted that no new major project has been sanctioned for Kerala through PWD's NH wing in the last four years. It urged Centre to include 14 proposed projects amounting to Rs 6,700 crore in MoRTH's current year annual plan, warning that worsening congestion and infrastructure fatigue would continue unless the pipeline was urgently revived. As Centre maintains silence despite multiple submissions, state has now shifted gears politically, urging its MPs to escalate the issue in Parliament in a coordinated push. While the projects themselves may have seen bureaucratic limbo for years, state's current campaign signals that the fight for them is anything but over.