Thiruvananthapuram, September 28 (Daily Kiran) : The trial for the notorious Kerala Assembly riot case from 2015 is finally set to commence on November 3. The Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court confirmed the date earlier this week.
Six key leaders from the Left Democratic Front (LDF), who were in opposition at the time of the incident, are involved in this case. The accused include V. Shivan Kutty, E.P. Jayarajan, K.T. Jaleel, K. Ajith, C.K. Sadasivan, and K. Kunhammed Master.
This upcoming trial marks a significant turning point in a case that has been mired in political and legal battles for years. After coming to power in 2016, the LDF government sought to withdraw charges against its leaders. However, both the lower court and the High Court dismissed this petition, prompting the state to approach the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court also denied the request to withdraw the case, emphasizing that legislative privilege cannot be used to evade criminal prosecution for alleged destruction of public property.
The incident occurred on March 13, 2015, when LDF members staged a massive protest inside the assembly to prevent then-Finance Minister K.M. Mani from presenting the budget. The prosecution alleges that the assembly speaker’s podium was damaged, and computers, microphones, chairs, and other equipment were destroyed, with damages estimated at around ₹2.2 lakh.
Charges against the defendants include criminal trespass, vandalism, and destruction of public property. The six accused had sought to be acquitted, but the Chief Judicial Magistrate found sufficient evidence to proceed with the charges.
The Kerala High Court later refused to stay the trial, directing the accused to face the proceedings. None of the six are currently serving as legislators. Shivan Kutty and Jaleel have held ministerial positions in the past but lost in the recent assembly elections. Ajith later joined the BJP and also faced defeat in the 2026 assembly elections.
Over the years, this case has taken on a political dimension, with a separate case against UDF leaders related to the same assembly clash. The UDF has argued that this was an attempt to undermine the main case against the LDF leaders.
With the political climate now considerably calmer, the original case is poised to enter its long-awaited hearing phase. The proceedings on November 3 will mark a critical step in determining criminal liability in a political controversy that has persisted for over a decade.
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