It will take more time to legislate on the management and administration of the disputed Malankara churches, especially when deliberations at various levels are necessary before taking a final decision on the issue, according to a statement filed by the State government before the Kerala High Court.
The government submitted that the Kerala Protection of Right, Title, and Interest of Parish Church Properties and Right of Worship of the Members of Malankara Church Bill submitted by the Kerala Law Reforms Commission headed by former Supreme Court judge K.T. Thomas was being examined in detail by the government.
Court directive
A Division Bench had last time directed the Chief Secretary to file a statement explaining whether the government was proposing to make any legislation on the management and administration of the disputed Malankara churches as recommended by the reforms commission.
The directive was given when the court took up for hearing an appeal filed by the government against a single judge's directive to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Group Centre, Thiruvananthapuram to take over the Kothamangalam Mar Thoma church if the Ernakulam District Collector did not implement the court's order to hand over the church to the Orthodox vicar.
