No takers for ‘unlucky’ official car #13 in new Kerala government | Today’s news
The 21-member Kerala cabinet led by Chief Minister VD Satheeshan assumed office on Monday. Portfolios are allocated to ministers as well as company cars. However, official car number 13 is missing from the allotment list as no ministers have reportedly opted for it due to the stigma surrounding the number, which is generally considered to be “unlucky”.
Not for the first time
Interestingly, this is not the first time that the UDF government did not have an official car number 13. Also, the last time the UDF was in power in Kerala, from 2011 to 2016, the ‘unlucky’ number did not have anyone.
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The LFD government had car number 13
Conversely, during the two terms of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government, there was no stigma surrounding car number 13, and in 2016, the then state finance minister Thomas Isaac voluntarily decided to take it as his official vehicle. In the second Pinarayi government, Agriculture Minister P Prasad used car No. 13 as his official vehicle.
During the VS Achuthanandan government in 2006, the then education minister and current CPI-M general secretary MA Baby used car number 13 as his official vehicle.
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Missing court no 13 Kerala HC
It’s not just ministers; even the Kerala High Court did not have Chamber No. 13 for a long time due to the same superstition.
According to historical records, the original Kerala HC building had courtroom number 13 until 1995 when it was renamed as 12A. The anomaly came to public notice only after a PIL was filed in the HC. According to the petitioner, the superstition was based on the Christian belief that the number 13 was a bad omen because the 13th guest of the ‘Last Supper’ is believed to be Jesus Christ.
However, the HC dismissed the PIL and imposed a fine of Rs ₹10,000 per petitioner. But in November 2006, while hearing the appeal, the Supreme Court criticized the Kerala HC for encouraging superstition.
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“The Supreme Court is an institution. It should not be allowed to promote this kind of superstition,” said the then Chief Justice Justice YK Sabharwal. Despite the SC directive, Court No. 13 was never returned and the problem was “corrected” in the new building by naming the chambers on each floor alphabetically.
New Kerala wardrobe
VD Satheesan (Congress)
Ramesh Chennithala (Congress)
K Muraleedharan (Congress)
Mons Joseph (Kerala Congress)
Among the ministers, 14 are first-time mothers, two are women and two are from the Scheduled Caste community.
Assembly elections to the 140-member House were held on April 9, with results announced on May 4. The UDF won 102 seats, with the Congress winning 63 of them. The CPIM-led LDF secured 35 and the BJP won 3.
Key things
- Superstitions can influence official decisions and assignments.
- Historical context reveals that belief shapes contemporary practices.
- Stigma around certain numbers can persist across political regimes.
