Kerala High Court allows BJP Thiruvananthapuram Corporation councillor R. Sugathan, who is in jail, to take his oath inside Viyyur Central Prison. Sugathan is held in judicial custody under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA) as part of a six-month preventive detention. The move follows an earlier High Court order directing 20 BJP councillors to retake their oaths after the Court found procedural violations during the original oath-taking ceremony. Sources report that 19 councillors retook their oaths when they were able to attend, but Sugathan was detained at the time and could not be present.
The High Court’s later directive requires the state to arrange the oath-taking inside prison so that Sugathan can complete the process. Reporting from multiple outlets says the oath is administered while Sugathan remains in judicial custody under KAAPA. The latest development is described as a first in Kerala, as it is the first instance of a jailed councillor being permitted to take the oath from inside a prison following a High Court directive.
