Kerala HC rejects M M Lawrence's daughters' pleas to hand over his remains

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday rejected the appeals of the daughters of veteran communist leader M M Lawrence who were seeking hand over his mortal remains to them instead of the Government Medical College Hospital here.

A bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S Manu dismissed the appeals by Asha Lawrence and Sujatha Boban, both daughters of the late communist veteran, against a single judge’s decision to hand over the remains to the medical college.

The division bench’s decision was confirmed by advocate Krishna Raj R, representing Asha Lawrence, who said that his client will move an appeal in the Supreme Court against the High Court’s order.

The detailed judgement is awaited.

Dramatic scenes were witnessed at the Ernakulam town hall here on September 23, where the mortal remains of Lawrence were kept for public homage, as the late leader’s daughter — Asha Lawrence — protested the decision to hand over his body to the medical college.

She had subsequently moved the High Court challenging the decision of her siblings to donate their father’s body to the medical college for educational purposes.

Her sister Sujatha Boban had also later moved the High Court seeking the same relief.

A single judge of the High Court had on October 23 dismissed their pleas, prompting them to file an appeal against it.

The medical college authorities had said that as per the affidavit filed by M L Sajeevan, the son of Lawrence, the communist leader had given his consent in March 2024 in front of two witnesses to hand over his remains for educational purposes.

Lawrence died on September 21 at the age of 95.