Kerala High Court invalidates oaths of 20 Thiruvananthapuram councilors, orders fresh oath

However, the court rejected the petitioner’s proposal to annul the election of representatives on the grounds that the law was violated by the process of taking the oath. File. | Photo credit: RK Nithin

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (June 24, 2026) ordered 20 elected councilors of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation to take their oaths again within four weeks, ruling that the oaths they took during the swearing-in in the names of various deities, martyrs and political movements in January were invalid under the Kerala Municipal Act.

Single Judge PV Kunhikrishnan allowed the petition filed by LDF council leader SP Deepak and directed the state to make necessary arrangements to facilitate the swearing-in ceremony of the council members again.

Choice valid

However, the court rejected the petitioner’s proposal to annul the election of representatives on the grounds that the law was violated when taking the oath.

Mr Deepak argued that the oath at the swearing-in ceremony should either be in the name of ‘God’ or a solemn affirmation and therefore the oath taken by the 20 councilors violated the provisions of the Municipalities Act.

Councilors’ claims

The councilors claimed that they had sworn in the name of their belief that “certain persons and deities” were their God and therefore their oaths were valid.

Published – 24 Jun 2026 11:43 IST