Viyyoor Central Jail in Thrissur turned into a platform for the triumph of democracy as BJP councillor R. Sugatan re-took his oath following the Kerala High Court verdict that had invalidated the earlier oath taken by BJP councillors of the Tiruvananthapuram Corporation on procedural grounds and directed them to take a fresh oath. While 19 BJP councillors had already re-taken their oath following the verdict, Sugatan, who has been in jail for the last few weeks, had to take the oath separately.
After securing permission from the High Court, Sugatan re-took the oath inside Viyyoor Central Jail on today (July 14). Tiruvananthapuram Mayor Adv. V.V. Rajesh administered the oath to him. Special arrangements were made in the jail in compliance with the High Court’s direction. Sugatan took the oath in the name of God.
ബഹുമാനപ്പെട്ട ഹൈക്കോടതിയുടെ നിർദ്ദേശപ്രകാരം ശ്രീ സുഗതൻ വാഴോട്ടുകോണം കൗൺസിലറായി സത്യപ്രതിജ്ഞ ചെയ്തു.
കള്ളക്കേസുകളിൽ കുടുക്കി ജനകീയനായ കൗൺസിലറിനെ ജയിലിലടച്ച സിപിഎം മാഫിയയ്ക്കും അതിന് ഒത്താശ ചെയ്ത കോൺഗ്രസ് സർക്കാരിനും ആഭ്യന്തര വകുപ്പിനും അവർ മുന്നോട്ടുവെക്കുന്ന അപകട… pic.twitter.com/LKwGKyDmcA
— BJP KERALAM (@BJP4Keralam) July 14, 2026
The Tiruvananthapuram Corporation Secretary and Viyyoor High Security Jail Superintendent Rajeshkumar participated in the ceremony. Only a limited number of officials were permitted as part of the security arrangements.
Sugatan had sought the permission of the High Court to take the oath. The High Court instructed the Jail Superintendent to arrange the oath-taking instead of releasing Sugatan for the ceremony. The Court observed that the people’s mandate should not be sabotaged; it should get the recognition it deserves. The Court has the power to take extraordinary decisions in extraordinary situations.
The state government led by CM V.D. Satheeshan had argued that a prisoner detained under KAPA (Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 2007) does not have the constitutional right to take the oath. But the Court pointed out that the rights and mandate of an elected representative should be protected; hence, the Court rejected the government’s prayer.
R. Sugatan was elected to the Tiruvananthapuram Corporation Council from the Vazhottukonam division. By taking the oath in jail, he has officially taken over as a councillor.
R. Sugatan is the first elected representative to take the oath in jail in the history of local self-government bodies in the state. It is viewed as a rare incident. The High Court’s intervention paved the way for the materialisation of the people’s mandate. It is a grave setback to the evil design of the INDI Alliance, consisting of the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), to destabilise the BJP/NDA rule in the municipal corporation.
Sugatan was arrested on the night of June 9 based on some fabricated cases. He was arrested while spending time with his wife and children. Police barged into his house and fired into the air to create a panic situation. They pointed a gun at the children. Since then, he has been in jail.
Usually, “KAPA”, the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, is clamped on people accused in cases connected with drugs, the sand mafia, robbery, murder, etc. It is also clamped on those who are accused in three cases or those who are involved in serious crimes. But KAPA cannot be clamped on the accused in suo motu cases. Therefore, the number of cases was increased by persuading ruling party workers to file more complaints against Sugatan. The CPM and LDF ruled the state for 10 years, until May 18, 2026. No non-CPM men have filed any complaints against R. Sugatan. The number of cases against him increased after CPM’s V.K. Prashant was elected to the Assembly. Thereafter, there was a flood of complaints.
Background:
The re-oath-taking followed a Kerala High Court verdict on June 24, which invalidated, on procedural grounds, the earlier oath taken by 20 BJP councillors of the Tiruvananthapuram Corporation after the April Local Self-Government elections. The councillors had taken the oath in the name of Bharat Mata, Attukal Devi, Sree Narayana Gurudev and RSS martyrs. The Court observed that taking the oath in the name of Gods and martyrs was not legally valid and directed the councillors to take a fresh oath within four weeks. However, it rejected the plea seeking cancellation of their elections.
The verdict came on a petition filed by CPM councillor S.P. Deepak. Following the Court’s order, 19 BJP councillors re-took their oath within hours at a special ceremony at the Corporation office, with Mayor Adv. V.V. Rajesh administering the oath. R. Sugatan, who was in jail, could not join the other councillors and later approached the High Court seeking permission to re-take his oath.
