Kerala - Kochi
Two nuns, six priests enrol as lawyers

Staff Reporter

Culmination of a legal fight against the Kerala Bar Council

KOCHI: Two Catholic nuns and six priests were enrolled as lawyers at the Kerala High Court on Sunday, the culmination of their legal fight against the Kerala Bar Council's decision refusing them permission to do so.

Tina Jose, from Little Flower Convent, Manappuram, Cherthala; M. Tessy, Medical Sisters of St. Francis of Assissi, Valiya Veli, Thiruvananthapuram; and Thomas Pudussery, St. Sebastian's Church, Edakkulam, Irinjalakuda, who had challenged the council's decision in the High Court, were among those who enrolled.

Joy Kolencherry, Cherthala S.H. Church, Valamangalam, Cherthala; Tharyan Mundadan, St. Thomas Church, Malayatoor; Joshy Puthua, from Ernakulam; Roy Joseph Kaduppil, Pala; and Sunny Kalappurayil, St. Joseph Church, Aravanchal, Thalassery; are the others enrolled.

The Enrolment Committee of the council rejected the applications of the nuns and priests in 2004, citing the reason that their priesthood was equal to a profession. The High Court Judge K. Balakrishnan Nair delivered a judgment in their favour in 2005.

Alphons enrols
K.J. Alphons, MLA, who had resigned as Land Use Board Commissioner and won the recent Assembly elections from Kanjirappally, enrolled on Sunday. The MLA said that he would practise law only during the time he could put aside after spending in his constituency. As many as 327 people had registered for enrolment, but only 321 of them enrolled, with the rest being absent.
(The Hindu - May 22, 2006)