Kerala HC Quashes Case Against Goa Governor Sreedharan Pillai Over Remarks On Women's Entry At Sabarimala, Says Speech Wasn't Made In Public

The Kerala High Court quashed a case against Goa Governor Sreedharan Pillai for remarks supporting the denial of women’s entry to Sabarimala Temple. The court found that Pillai’s speech, made at a BJP Youth Wing meeting, was not public and thus did not violate Section 505(1)(b) of the IPC. The court also noted that as Governor, Pillai is immune from criminal proceedings under Article 361 of the Constitution. The case stemmed from Pillai’s comments in 2018, which were seen as supporting the temple’s Thantri’s decision against the Supreme Court’s ruling allowing women’s entry. The court emphasized that Pillai’s remarks were his personal opinion and did not incite public disorder. This ruling underscores the legal protections for governors and the importance of context in evaluating alleged inflammatory statements.