KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has directed the state government to consider whether there is any need to continue granting separate licences for burial or burning grounds on the basis of communities. Ordering the government to check whether such action violates Articles 14 (Right to equality) and 21 (Right to life and liberty) of the Constitution, the court said burying of a person’s mortal remains should be allowed in a public burial ground without discrimination.
As per the data from the government, Kerala has 5,715 private crematoriums/burial grounds, of which 2,982 are owned by Christian denominations, 1,889 are for Muslims, 443 are for others, 16 are for Brahmins and 385 are for SC/ST communities.
An HC division bench issued the order while disposing of the petition filed by Dasan K, president of Malappuram-based NGO DHISHA, seeking a directive to the Palakkad district collector and Puthur grama panchayat to take strict measures to permit peaceful burial of the deceased hailing from Chakkiliyan community in the panchayat’s public burial ground.
As per the petition, it was during a survey that volunteers of the NGO learnt about the practice of untouchability prevalent in Puthur grama panchayat. It said access to the public crematorium was denied, while burial was refused for a woman from Chakkiliyan community who died.