- (1.) In these proceedings under Article 32 of the Constitution, the following reliefs have been sought: "a. to issue a writ of mandamus to the respondent State of Kerala to enforce the fundamental rights of the petitioners guaranteed under Article 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India; and/or b. to issue a writ of mandamus to the respondent State of Kerala to allow the worshippers of those Parish Churches where the majority of the members who believe in the religious/theological faith and doctrines based on the ecclesiastical supremacy of the Patriarch of Antioch; and/or c. to issue a writ of mandamus to the respondent State of Kerala to afford protection to the Bishops and other clergymen who are ordained under the ecclesiastical Authority of the Patriarch of Antioch in performing religious ceremonies approved by the Synod of the Syrian Orthodox Church of all the East in the Parish Churches where the majority of the Parishioners/worshipers believe in the spiritual and apostolic succession of St. Peter through the Patriarch of Antioch; and/or d. to declare that the petitioners have a fundamental right of religious freedom and worship guaranteed under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India and thereby to administer the spiritual needs of the petitioners and similarly placed persons as per their faith in the Patriarch of Antioch; and/or e. to declare that the petitioners and similarly placed persons have the fundamental right of privacy and thereby a right to life and liberty guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution of India and the right to practice their religion in the Churches in which they are the parishioners as per their faith in the supremacy of the Patriarch of Antioch; and/ or f. to declare that the petitioners have the right to follow their religious beliefs and custom based on the spiritual supremacy of the Patriarch of Antioch in the Churches in which the petitioners and similarly placed persons are the parishioners; and/or g. allow the Writ Petition by affirming the rights of the petitioners under Article 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India to follow all the religious customs like Holy Mass, baptism, confession, marriage, funeral services etc in the Churches as per their religious beliefs and faith;"
(2.) During the course of the hearing on 7 May 2019, this Court recorded the submission of Mr Jaideep Gupta, learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the State of Kerala to the effect that a Cabinet Sub-Committee has been constituted to explore the possibility of a mediated settlement.
(3.) In view of the above statement, the hearing was adjourned to 2 August 2019.;