MM Lawrence | Photo credit: RK Nitin
A division bench of the Kerala High Court on Wednesday (Dec 18, 2024) dismissed an appeal filed by Asha Lawrence and Sujatha Boban, daughters of late CPI(M) leader MM Lawrence, against a single judge’s order handing over their father’s body. At Ernakulam Government Medical College.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S Manu had earlier this month insisted that the matter should be settled by the family members and not by the court.
This was suggested while hearing an appeal filed by Asha Lawrence and Sujata Boban challenging the single bench order allowing their brother ML Sajivan to donate their father’s body to the medical college. The daughters argued that their father’s body should be buried according to Christian rites.
On the one hand, the mediator appointed by the court to resolve the dispute between the two sisters and on the other hand the late leader’s son informed that the parties could not reach an agreement because they did not accept any suggestions and stuck to their own opinions.
The single bench had earlier directed the principal of the medical college to consider Ms. Asha Lawrence’s objections before taking a decision. After reviewing his objections, the Principal rejected them and accepted the corpse for educational purposes and a single bench upheld the decision.
Ms. Asha Lawrence filed a second petition, which was also dismissed, giving rise to the present appeals. Subsequently, Ms Boban supported Ms Asha Lawrence’s appeal and expressed her father’s wish to be buried in the church cemetery.
published – December 18, 2024 at 11:59 pm IST