Kerala BJP Councilor R. Sugathan re-takes oath at Viyyur Jail

BJP councilor R. Sugathan, representing Vazhottukonam division of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, was sworn in at Viyyur Central Jail in Thrissur on Tuesday. | Photo credit: KK Najeeb

In an unprecedented development, BJP councilor R. Sugathan, who is under preventive detention under the KAAPA (Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act), took his oath again at the Viyyur Central Jail in Thrissur, Kerala on Tuesday (July 14, 2026).

A short oath-taking ceremony was held at the jail library hall at 11 am and was presided over by Thiruvananthapuram Mayor VV Rajesh. Entry was limited to the mayor and a handful of officials. Immediately after being sworn in, Mr. Sugathan was escorted back to his prison cell.

The ceremony followed an order by the Kerala High Court to allow Mr. Sugathan, a BJP councilor representing Thiruvananthapuram’s Vazhottukonam division, to take the oath in jail. The court observed that “the democratic mandate of the electorate could not be defeated” merely because the elected representative was in preventive detention.

Mr. Sugathan was among the 20 BJP councilors who were earlier ordered by the Supreme Court to take oath again after they violated the prescribed format by mentioning the names of local deities during the original swearing-in ceremony. While the remaining 19 councilors were subsequently re-sworn in, Mr Sugathan was unable to do so as he was detained under KAAPA.

Mr. Sugathan was arrested after a court denied him bail in a case related to the alleged attempted murder of a man during a clash at a temple festival. According to police, officers had to fire warning shots in an attempt to arrest him after he allegedly resisted arrest. He was subsequently detained under KAAPA and lodged in Viyyur Central Jail.

Police records show that over the years, 19 criminal cases have been registered against Mr. Sugathan at the Vattiyurkavu and Nedumangad police stations, including charges of attempted murder, rioting, intimidation and voluntary bodily harm.

Sharp political reactions

The swearing-in at the jail drew sharp political reactions, with the CPI(M) and Congress describing it as an “embarrassment” for the BJP, which scripted history by winning control of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation for the first time.

Although the Supreme Court order allowed Mr. Sugathan to take the mandatory oath, his continued detention means he cannot attend Corporation Council meetings. Under the Kerala Municipalities Act, a councilor who remains absent from three consecutive council meetings without a valid exemption can lose his membership.

Published – 14 July 2026 11:40 AM IST