Supreme Court Maintains Church Dispute Status Quo

• The Supreme Court has ordered the continuation of the status quo in a dispute between the Jacobite and Orthodox factions in the Malankara Church.

• The court will hear the case in detail on January 29 and 30, 2025.

• The decision was made after both factions expressed difficulty in complying with a December 3 order.

• The order was to hand over the administration of six churches in Ernakulam and Palakkad districts to the Orthodox in compliance with court’s judgments and the 1934 Church constitution.

• The court has directed the Kerala government to record the details of the Orthodox Christian population, the number and details of churches under complete administrative control of either faction, the list of these churches in dispute, the current status of their administration, and the parish registers.