'Against rules': Kerala HC on Lakshadweep's denial to MPs visit

Kochi, Aug 6 The Kerala High Court on Friday held that the Lakshwadeep authorities' denial of permission to a group of Kerala MPs to visit the islands is against the rules and asked them to have a re-look in a month's time.

Hearing the petition of the six MPs, from both houses, challenging the denial of permission for their visit, the court ruled that the administration failed to give a hearing to the applicants as per the rules.

The hearing can be conducted, even online, and only after such a hearing, should the authorities decide on the matter, it said.

The petitioners, who include parliamentar from both the Congress and CPI-M from the state, wanted to visit the island for an on the spot assessment of the situation, after Administrator Praful Khoda Patel began introducing new rules, which the islanders objected to and launched a series of protests against.