An aerial view of the Cheruvally estate where the Kerala government has proposed to build the Sabarimala Greenfield International Airport. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The Pala Sub-Court on Monday (January 19, 2026) ruled against the Kerala government in the long-running dispute over ownership of the Cheruvally estate in Erumely.
The case has gained further significance as the Cheruvally estate has been identified as the proposed site for the Sabarimala Greenfield International Airport.
Pronouncing its order, the court upheld the sale of 2,263 acres of property by Harrisons Malayalam Limited (HML) to the Ayana Charitable Trust in 2005 as valid.
The case involved a property dispute between the state government and the Ayana Charitable Trust under the KP Yohannan-led Church of the Faithful. In 2019, the state government approached the sub-court seeking the return of the property, which is spread across Erumely South and Manimala villages, arguing that the land was owned by the government and had been illegally transferred.
During the hearing, the state claimed that the land falls under the category of Pandaravaka Pattom and stated that it was only leased to HML.
However, the defendants argued that they had acquired title through adverse possession, citing the continuous possession of the lands by their predecessors for more than a century. They also submitted records from the basic tax register and tax documents to substantiate their claim.
In 2015, MG Rajamanickam, a special officer appointed under the Kerala Land Conservancy Act to scrutinize long-term plantation leases, declared the transfer illegal and ordered “restoration” of the land. This order was later set aside by the High Court on an appeal by HML, forcing the state to pursue the matter through civil courts as directed by both the Supreme Court and the High Court.
The judgment is also expected to have far-reaching implications for the spectrum of ownership disputes involving plantations across Kerala.
Published – 19 Jan 2026 12:32 IST
