SC notice over plea against church confessions

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 14

The SC on Monday issued notices to the Centre, Kerala Government and 11 Malankara Syrian Church bodies on a petition challenging the practice of mandatory confessions in the Church in the southern state.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde issued the notices after senior advocate Sanjay Parikh submitted that the top court had earlier restrained the Kerala High Court from passing orders on issues related to this church.

Petitioner Mathew T Matgachan, Shaj PJ and Jose VJ, members of the church, alleged that the practice was leading to several problems including sexual exploitation of women and blackmailing.

Notice on PIL against mining

The SC on Monday issued a notice to the Centre and seven states, including Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, on a PIL against allowing mining in dense forest and ecologically sensitive areas (No-Go zones) across India.