Mohanlal (File photo)
KOCHI: Kerala HC on Friday quashed ownership certificates issued by state govt to actor Mohanlal for two pairs of ivory tusks and 13 ivory artefacts, along with govt orders that permitted him to declare their possession as part of the certification process. A division bench of Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Jobin Sebastian held govt orders and certificates were void ab initio and legally unenforceable. It issued the order on pleas filed by James Mathew of Pathanamthitta & AA Paulose of Ernakulam challenging govt orders and certificates.It noted notifications issued by state permitting Mohanlal to submit declarations under Section 40(1) of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, were not published in the official gazette, as mandated under Section 40(4) of the law. Petitioners also argued the notifications resulted from an invalid exercise of state’s powers under statute and were, therefore, illegal and unenforceable. HC accepted these contentions.However, it clarified state was at liberty to issue a fresh notification, under Section 40(4), for conferring immunity envisaged under the provision to persons or classes of persons covered by the statute.
