Kottayam: The Orthodox Church which has a strong presence in the Chengannur Assembly constituency has been pressing the LDF government to implement the Supreme Court order in its favour regarding the disputes with the Jacobite Church. The Church leadership wants to use the opportunity provided by the by-election to get its demand conceded after the Supreme Court passed the orders on the ownership of St Mary's Cathedral, Piravom, Kolenchery St Peter’s and other churches.
A team of Church members visited Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan last week and demanded the implementation of the verdict. “The CM assured us that our demands will be considered,” said Yuhanon Mar Diascoros, secretary of the Bishops’ Synod of the Orthodox Church and Auxiliary Bishop of Kottayam. He refused to say whether the implementation of the SC verdict would have a bearing on the by-election. "It is up to the people to decide such things. We demand justice and the issue is getting naturally linked to the by-election," he said.
Church member and senior KC(M) leader Joseph M. Puthussery told DC that the Orthodox Church community leadership has grievances over the non-implementation of the SC verdict. “This may influence the voting in Chengannur,” he said. Orthodox Church laity secretary Biju Oomen said that though the Supreme Court had passed favourable verdicts, these had not been implemented so far.
