Kerala HC seeks state’s affidavit on proposed law against black magic. Petition revived after Pathanamthitta human sacrifice case.
Kochi: Today, on June 20, the Kerala High Court has asked the state government to clarify whether it still plans to bring a law to stop evil practices like black magic and sorcery.
The court was referring to the state’s earlier statement in 2022 where it had said it was
“contemplating to enact a law on the subject.”
This matter came up before a division bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji on June 3, 2025.
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The judges asked the government to submit an official affidavit to clearly explain its present stand on the issue. The court has now posted the case for further hearing on June 24.
The case goes back to a petition filed by an organisation called Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham in 2022. This group had approached the court seeking a specific law in Kerala against black magic and sorcery.
The demand for such a law gained urgency after a horrifying incident in Pathanamthitta district, where two women were killed in a human sacrifice ritual carried out by three people, including a couple.
According to the petitioners, a law like this is needed to prevent such inhuman acts in the future. They said that the Law Reforms Commission of Kerala, which was headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice K.T. Thomas, had already submitted a detailed report to the state government back in 2019.
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This report had included a proposed draft law to tackle these issues.
the petition stated,
“The Kerala Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices, Sorcery and Black Magic Bill-2019, is one of the recommended statutes. But so far, no attempt has been made on the part of the state on the matter,”
The petition also highlighted that other states in India have already taken legal steps in this area. Maharashtra and Karnataka, for instance, have passed laws to deal with black magic and superstitious practices.
The petitioner organisation argued that Kerala too should not delay bringing such a law.
Interestingly, the petition was first dismissed in June 2023 because no one appeared in court on behalf of the petitioner group at that time. But later, the case was restored and brought back to court.
In addition to asking for legislation, the petition also raised concerns about the way black magic and superstitions are promoted in the media.
It sought a declaration from the court that
“films on big screens and OTT platforms, and several serials and other telefilms, aired on television channels and YouTube, having content of superstitious beliefs, including sorcery and occult practices, exempting those having good intentions and having good artistic values, are illegal.”
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