Kochi, February 24 The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed that the status quo be maintained regarding the ownership of the Cheruvally Estate in Erumely, which was proposed to be acquired for the Sabarimala International Greenfield Airport.
A bench of justices Devan Ramachandran and M B Snehalatha issued the direction while admitting the state government's appeal against a decision of a sub-court in Kottayam district dismissing its suit claiming ownership of the estate.
The HC also issued notice to the Ayana Charitable Trust, affiliated with the Believers Church, along with its various leaders from the clergy and the Social Impact Assessment Study Unit, seeking their response to the government's appeal.
The Ayana Charitable Trust, represented by senior advocate Amit Sibal and advocate Dhiraj Philip, opposed the appeal.
The dispute over the land's ownership arose after M G Rajamanickam, a special officer appointed under the Kerala Land Conservancy Act to examine long-term plantation leases, recommended the resumption of the Cheruvally estate land in 2015.
However, the Ayana Charitable Trust claimed that it had rightfully purchased the land from Harrison Malayalam in 2005 and that ownership had been established through adverse possession, citing continuous occupation by their predecessors for over a century.
The resumption order was later overturned by the Kerala High Court in 2019, which directed the state to pursue its claim in a civil court. This decision was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court of India.
Following this, the state government filed a suit before the Pala sub-court, claiming that the property located in Erumely and Manimala villages in Kottayam district fell under the Pandaravaka Pattom category and had been illegally transferred.