Kerala HC allows BJP councillor R. Sugathan to take oath in Viyyur jail
The Kerala High Court has permitted a detained BJP councillor to take his oath of office inside Viyyur Central Prison to ensure his seat is not lost. The court emphasized that the democratic mandate of the people should not be invalidated by procedural lapses regarding the oath.
Why it matters
This case underscores the legal balance between maintaining the integrity of democratic representation and the enforcement of preventive detention laws.
The Kerala High Court on Monday (July 13, 2026) allowed R. Sugathan, a councillor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, who is under a six-month preventive detention under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA), to take his oath of office inside the Viyyur Central Prison in Thrissur on Tuesday.
The report provides a factual account of the court's reasoning and the councillor's legal situation without favoring the political party or the state's detention policy.
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