Kerala Politics & Governance

Kerala reassigns staff to Department for Senior Citizens

1 September 2026

Kerala reassigned staff from the General Administration and Personnel and Administrative Reforms departments to its newly formed Department for Senior Citizens. The transferred posts included additional secretary, under secretary, section officer, assistants and computer assistants; the department’s remit includes senior-citizen welfare policies, schemes and related laws.

Key Facts

• The department identifies the silver economy—economic activity based on older people’s needs, capabilities, purchasing power and work or enterprise potential—as a key area.

Kerala announces by-elections for 38 local-body wards

1 September 2026

The Kerala State Election Commission announced by-elections for 38 local-government wards across the state, with polling scheduled for 28 September and counting for 29 September. The announced schedule covered two municipal-corporation wards, three municipal wards, three district-panchayat divisions, seven block-panchayat divisions and 23 grama-panchayat wards.

KMRL submits DPR for proposed Aluva–Angamaly metro line

1 September 2026

Kochi Metro Rail Limited submitted a detailed project report for a proposed 17.5-kilometre elevated line from Aluva via Nedumbassery airport to Angamaly for state-government consideration. A DPR for a proposed Thiruvananthapuram metro project was also submitted; the Aluva–Angamaly line still requires state and central approval before land acquisition and construction.

Key Facts

• Kochi Metro Rail Limited is a joint venture of the Union and Kerala governments and operates the Kochi Metro.

Punalur hospital begins pilot of extended specialist services

1 September 2026

Punalur General Hospital began a pilot of extended specialist services, with coverage from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and an on-call arrangement for cases requiring attention later at night. Kerala’s Health Department aims to extend the model statewide within six months, redeploying postgraduate-qualified assistant surgeons from primary and family health centres to district and general hospitals.

Key Facts

• The extended specialist service model covers surgery, orthopaedics, general medicine, gynaecology and paediatrics.

Expert panel begins safety inspection of Mullaperiyar dam

1 September 2026

A five-member expert panel began a comprehensive safety inspection of the Mullaperiyar dam under the Central Dam Safety Authority’s supervision. Scheduled to run from 1 to 3 September, the inspection covers the main dam, Baby Dam, spillway and dam gallery, with attention to structural safety and earthquake resistance.

The panel is chaired by former NHPC chairman and managing director Balraj Joshi. After the technical inspection, it is scheduled to consult senior water-resources officials from Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Key Facts

• Mullaperiyar diverts Periyar water eastward, supporting irrigation in Tamil Nadu’s drier Madurai region.

Thiruvananthapuram airport expansion receives conditional environmental clearance recommendation

1 September 2026

The Kerala State Expert Appraisal Committee recommended environmental clearance for the proposed expansion of Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, subject to conditions. The ₹18,707-crore project aims to raise annual passenger-handling capacity to 27 million and cargo capacity to 420,000 tonnes.

Conditions include retaining a two-hectare green zone and installing oil-water separators and silt traps before rainwater is discharged into the Parvathy Puthanar canal. The plan includes redevelopment of the existing terminal, a new cargo complex and improvements to aircraft aprons and taxiways.

Kerala High Court rules brothel customers may be prosecuted under ITPA

1 September 2026

The Kerala High Court ruled that customers visiting brothels for sexual services may be prosecuted under Sections 5 and 7 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. A Division Bench comprising Justices V. Raja Vijayaraghavan and K. V. Jayakumar held that customers may be treated as participants in, or as abetting, the prohibited activity.

The ruling came in a petition by a man accused in a case registered at Munambam police station, who argued that the Act’s offences did not apply to him as a customer. The Bench set aside earlier rulings that had held customers could not be prosecuted.

CUSAT approves curriculum with 20% adaptable content

2 September 2026

Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) approved a flexible curriculum model designed to respond to developments in industry, science and technology. Under the proposed structure, 80% of the syllabus will remain core content, while 20% can be updated with emerging technologies, research, interdisciplinary subjects and case studies.

The model is intended for fields including engineering, management, law, environmental science and social sciences.

Key Facts

• CUSAT is a state government-owned autonomous university whose remit includes advanced ...