[Cites 3, Cited by 0]
Kerala High Court
Ranjith Kumar K.K vs Director Of General Education on 8 January, 2026
Author: Bechu Kurian Thomas
Bench: Bechu Kurian Thomas
2026:KER:1067
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE BECHU KURIAN THOMAS
THURSDAY, THE 8TH DAY OF JANUARY 2026 / 18TH POUSHA, 1947
WP(C) NO. 48618 OF 2025
PETITIONER:
RANJITH KUMAR K.K.
AGED 47 YEARS
S/O.LATE K.K.BHASKARAN NAMBIAR, RESIDING AT
'KARTHIKA', KUTTIKKUNNU, NIRMALAGIRI P.O.,
KANNUR DISTRICT ,KERALA,, PIN - 670701
SRI.SHREEHARI K.K.
SRI.K.RAJESH KHANNA
RESPONDENTS:
1 DIRECTOR OF GENERAL EDUCATION
JAGATHI, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA, PIN - 695014
2 DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (DDE)
KANNUR NEAR THE CIVIL STATION IN KANNUR SOUTH,
KERALA, PIN - 670001
SRI.SREEJITH V.S., GP
THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION
ON 08.01.2026, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE
FOLLOWING:
2026:KER:1067
WP(C) NO. 48618 OF 2025
2
BECHU KURIAN THOMAS, J.
==================
W.P.(C) No.48618 of 2025
==================
Dated this the 8th day of January, 2026
JUDGMENT
The petitioner is the father of a participant in the Kannur District
School Kalolsavam, 2025-2026. The petitioner is aggrieved by the
dismissal of the appeal relating to his daughter's claim for participation
in the State School Kalolsavam. He seeks to quash the order rejecting
his appeal in connection with the Thiruvathira competition at the
aforementioned School Kalolsavam and seeks a declaration that the
rejection of his appeal without recording reasons as mandated in the
manual is illegal.
2. I have heard the learned counsel for the petitioner as well as
the learned Government Pleader.
3. The petitioner's daughter was a participant in the Thiruvathira
event of the Kannur District School Kalolsavam 2025-2026. The
petitioner's daughter's team was placed in second place. However,
there is a difference of 7 marks between the first place and the second
place. In the appeal preferred by the petitioner, the appellate authority
considered the contentions, heard the appellant, perused the stage
manager's report and came to the conclusion that there was no
2026:KER:1067
WP(C) NO. 48618 OF 2025
anomaly in the evaluation of the performance of the participants. It was
also mentioned that the first-place holders' performance was far
superior to that of the petitioner's daughter's team and therefore there
is no cause for the appeal to be allowed.
4. The evaluation of marks in an event, especially that relating
to performing arts, is always relative in nature. Even if one of the
performers could be the best in the field, still, on a particular day,
the quality of performance can vary. Only the judges who actually
evaluate the event at the time, would be able to assimilate the nature
of the performance. This Court under Article 226 of the Constitution
of India is not an expert to judge or evaluate the performance of the
candidates to come to a conclusion regarding the relative merits of the
participants of an event. It is in such circumstances that Courts have
repeatedly held that the High Court cannot take the place of an expert
and arrive at a conclusion different from that arrived at by the expert
bodies.
5. Moreover, in the absence of any exceptional circumstances
pointed out, this Court ought not to interfere in matters relating to
decisions by the judges in youth festivals. Reference in this regard can
be made to the decisions in Sweety vs. State of Kerala (1994 KHC
216) and in Devna Sumesh vs. State of Kerala (2022 KHC 8081)
apart from the Division Bench judgment in Manas Manohar v.
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WP(C) NO. 48618 OF 2025
Registrar, Kerala Lok Ayukta and Others [2022 (5) KHC 479] and
Additional Director of Public Instructions and Others v. Anagha
and Others [2022 (5) KHC 473].
6. Since the appellate order has given sufficient reasons for
dismissing the appeal, I find no reason to interfere with the impugned
order of the appellate authority under Article 226 of the Constitution of
India.
Accordingly, this writ petition lacks merit and it is dismissed.
Ssd/-Sd/-
Sd/-
BECHU KURIAN THOMAS
JUDGE
NP
2026:KER:1067
WP(C) NO. 48618 OF 2025
APPENDIX OF WP(C) NO. 48618 OF 2025
PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS
Exhibit P1 TRUE COPY OF THE 63RD KERALA SCHOOL
KALOLSAVAM 2024-2025 CERTIFICATE OF THE
FEBA S. GIREESH
Exhibit P2 TRUE COPY OF THE 63RD KERALA SCHOOL
KALOLSAVAM 2024-2025 CERTIFICATE OF THE
NIYA SUDHEESH P
Exhibit P3 TRUE COPY OF THE 63RD KERALA SCHOOL
KALOLSAVAM 2024-2025 CERTIFICATE OF THE
RITHIKA RAJ ATHIKKA
Exhibit P4 TRUE COPY OF THE 63RD KERALA SCHOOL
KALOLSAVAM 2024-2025 CERTIFICATE OF THE
DAKSHANA R
Exhibit P5 TRUE COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE PERTAINING
TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF COMPETITION AT THE
KUTHUPARAMBA SUB-DISTRICT LEVEL UNDER
THE HIGH SCHOOL CATEGORY AND SECURED
FIRST PLACE, THEREBY QUALIFYING TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE KANNUR DISTRICT LEVEL
KALOLSAVAM
Exhibit P6 TRUE COPY OF THE APPEAL FEE RECEIPT
DATED 21-11-1025
Exhibit P7 A PEN - DRIVE WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL
THIRUVATHIRA TEAM IN THE KANNUR DISTRICT
LEVEL COMPETITIONS FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR
2025 - 2026 VIDEO
Exhibit P8 TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER REJECTING THE
APPEAL DATE NIL
Exhibit P9 TRUE COPY OF THE RELEVANT PAGES OF THE
KERALA SCHOOL MANUAL 2017
Exhibit P10 TRUE COPY OF THE GO(KY) NO
125/2024/G.EDN DATED 30.09.2024
Exhibit P11 TRUE COPY OF THE CIRCULAR DGE/13600/2025
-Y2 DATED 16.09.2025
RESPONDENTS' ANNEXURES: NIL
