The Kerala High Court has given the state government an additional two weeks to submit its counter affidavit in a public interest litigation challenging the 1977 allocation of Kerala University land for the AKG Centre for Research and Studies in the state capital. The building previously served as the CPI-M’s state headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. A former Joint Registrar of Kerala University filed the plea, questioning the legality of the land assignment and the amount of land currently under the party’s control.
The Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M., heard the case. The Special Government Pleader requested more time to locate the 1977 government order that approved the land allotment during A.K. Antony’s tenure as Chief Minister. The court was informed that the order could not be found in the records of the Village Office, District Collectorate, or Department of Archaeology.
The petitioner alleged that although the government order sanctioned only 15 cents of land, the AKG Centre and CPI-M possess approximately 55 cents, including parts claimed to belong to Kerala University and government puramboke land. Chief Justice Sen, having already granted time previously, emphasized the urgency by stating, “How much time? And the last time. I mean the last chance.” Despite this, the Bench granted the State an additional two weeks and scheduled the next hearing for three weeks later.
The disputed land currently hosts the multi-storeyed AKG Centre complex, which previously housed the CPI-M’s state party headquarters, senior leaders’ offices, and a large air-conditioned auditorium for important party gatherings. The issue has been ongoing and drew renewed attention when the Kerala CPI-M inaugurated a new building next to the existing AKG Centre and relocated the party office there.
