The Kerala High Court on Wednesday dismissed a review petition filed by the daughters of deceased veteran CPM leader MM Lawrence, against the rejection of their appeal challenging an order permitting the handover of their father’s mortal remains to the Government Medical College, Kalamassery, Ernakulam, for medical research.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S Manu on Wednesday dismissed the review petition filed by Asha Lawrence and Sujatha Boban, daughters of late CPM leader MM Lawrence.
Asha Lawrence had earlier approached a single bench two days after the death of her father, MM Lawrence, on September 21, 2024, at the age of 95, objecting to her siblings’ decision to hand over her father’s body to Ernakulam Government Medical College.
She pleaded that her father followed Christian rituals and rites, and the body ought to be buried according to Christian rites. She submitted that she had not consented to the donation of her father’s body. The single bench of the High Court on the same day disposed of the petition, directing the principal of the Medical College to hear the daughter’s objections before taking a decision on accepting the body.
The principal constituted a committee to hear the matter. It was decided by the committee, after hearing Asha Lawrence, her siblings, and others, to accept the donation of the body. Asha Lawrence again approached the High Court, arguing that the hearing conducted by the Medical College was not proper. The single bench of the High Court dismissed the petition, observing that the deceased had expressed his desire to donate his body for medical studies as per Section 4A of the Kerala Anatomy Act.
Against this order, Asha Lawrence filed an appeal before the Division Bench, arguing that the single judge’s conclusion – that the deceased had expressed his wish to donate his body – was unverified. The other daughter, Sujatha Boban, had withdrawn her consent for the donation of her father’s body and filed a separate appeal before the High Court against the single judge’s order.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S Manu on December 18, 2024, upheld a single bench’s decision to allow the donation of late CPM leader MM Lawrence’s body to the Ernakulam Medical College and dismissed the appeal filed by Asha Lawrence, challenging the single bench order.