Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church on Thursday (August 29) filed a contempt of court petition before the Supreme Court against the state government alleging that they have not implemented the 2017 Supreme Court order, which gives the congregation control of all churches of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.

The contempt of court proceedings has been filed against the chief secretary, DGP and 18 other officials of the Kerala government, as they disobeyed and violated the Supreme Court orders issued in July 2017, February and July of 2019 too. 

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Meanwhile, the church has also approached the Union home ministry requesting the Central forces to implement the deployment of the apex court verdict on the dispute between the Orthodox and Jacobite factions. The apex court had awarded control and entire property of the Malankara Church to the Orthodox faction, which includes churches and parishes that constitute the Jacobite Church.

The Orthodox Church says that due to the inaction of the state government, eight churches have been closed. They also say that the state police were not helping the transfer of ownership of the church. Last month, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had told the state Assembly that the government was committed to implement the court's order. But as per reports, no action was taken towards the verdict by the concerned authorities. 

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