New Delhi: In a significant development in the ongoing Orthodox-Jacobite church dispute in Kerala, the Supreme Court has directed the Jacobite Church to hand over the administration of six churches in the Ernakulam and Palakkad districts to the Orthodox Church.

The dispute is a long-standing conflict between the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church over controlling church properties and leadership authority.

The bench, led by Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and U.U. Lalit, delivered the verdict by referencing a 2017 Supreme Court ruling in the matter that directed the Orthodox faction to manage the churches in accordance with the 1934 Constitution of the Malankara Church.

Meanwhile, senior advocates Ranjith Kumar and Shyam Divan, representing the Jacobite Church pointed out that several petitions filed after the 2017 verdict are still under consideration by the Supreme Court. However, the bench observed that the Jacobite church's failure to comply with the 2017 ruling was a matter of contempt of the court. The Supreme Court directed that, in order to hear the Jacobites's requests, the control of the churches should be transferred to the Orthodox church.

In its judgment, the Court instructed the Jacobites to submit an affidavit within two weeks, certifying the transfer of authority over the churches. The court also advised both factions to resolve the matter amicably, with Justice Ravindra Bhat noting that the objective was to settle the dispute peacefully.

Meanwhile, the Court disapproved of attempts made to involve police forces in the takeover of the churches, asserting that religious institutions should not be subjected to such intervention.

Earlier, the Kerala High Court initiated contempt proceedings against several officials, including former Chief Secretary V. Venu and the police chief of Ernakulam, for their role in the attempted takeover of the churches using police forces. Later, these senior officials moved the Supreme Court to halt contempt actions against them.

In connection with the 2017 Supreme Court ruling on the Orthodox-Jacobite dispute, the Jacobite Church's lawyer, Ranjith Kumar, pointed out that the issues related to the Sabarimala case are under consideration by the nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court. The central question being deliberated by the bench is whether courts can intervene in religious matters.

The case involves a review petition against the ruling allowing the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple. The matter was referred to the nine-judge bench by the bench hearing the review petition. The Jacobite Church, which supported the Sabarimala verdict, has expressed its anticipation for the larger bench's decision.

On the other hand, Senior Advocate Krishna Venugopal, representing the Orthodox Church, accused the state government of making political decisions in favour of the Jacobite Church.