Kerala High Court Upholds Religious Freedom Rights

The Kerala High Court upheld the personal freedoms of a Muslim law student accused of violating Shariat law for shaking hands with a male Minister, emphasizing that religious practices are a personal choice and cannot be imposed by others. Justice PV Kunhikrishnan remarked that no religious belief supersedes the Constitution, which guarantees individual rights to practice religion freely. The court dismissed a petition to quash charges against the accuser, highlighting that the accused's claims were unfounded and that the handshake was a traditional gesture of respect, not an act of adultery. The court also noted that the student faced societal disgrace due to the circulation of the accuser's video, which violated her rights. Overall, the ruling affirmed that the Constitution protects personal freedoms in religious expression.