Idukki: The Supreme Court has reinstated A Raja as the elected MLA from Devikulam, overturning a Kerala High Court verdict that had nullified his 2021 election win.

In March 2023, the High Court had annulled Raja’s victory, stating he was ineligible to contest from Devikulam, a constituency reserved for Scheduled Castes. The petition was filed by UDF candidate D Kumar, who argued that Raja, being a Christian, was not entitled to contest from a reserved seat.

However, Supreme Court bench comprising Justices A Amanullah and PK Mishra upheld Raja’s election, accepting his argument that he belongs to the Hindu Paraiyar community. Raja had claimed his paternal grandparents were members of the Paraiyar community who migrated from Tamil Nadu to Kerala prior to August 10, 1950 — the date the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order came into effect.

The court had earlier issued an interim stay on the High Court order while examining documents submitted by Raja. Key among them was a certificate issued in 2021 by the General Manager of Kanan Devan Plantations, confirming that Raja’s grandmother, Pushpam, began working at the Munnar-based tea estate on February 21, 1949.

Accepting these documents as evidence of pre-1950 migration, the Supreme Court ruled in Raja’s favour, allowing him to continue as the MLA from Devikulam.