Judge breaks all rules: Grants special favour for prisoner's daughter's law graduation

New Delhi (Uttam Hindu News): The Kerala High Court, while hearing a petition filed by a prisoner, delivered a highly emotional and humanitarian decision. Going beyond the rules, the court granted five days of emergency leave to a father serving a sentence to fulfill his daughter's dream of witnessing her enrolment as a lawyer.

Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan, who was hearing the case, remarked, "Even though the petitioner is a convict and the entire world considers him a criminal, a father is a hero in the eyes of every child. A young woman is fulfilling her dream of becoming a lawyer, and she wants her father to be present. This court cannot turn a blind eye to a daughter's feelings."

Interestingly, the government lawyer had strongly opposed the leave, arguing that emergency leave cannot be granted for all private and personal events. However, Justice Kunhikrishnan stated that while leave is not usually granted for such occasions, a humanitarian approach was urgently needed in this case.

In fact, a convict lodged in Tavanur Central Jail requested emergency leave from October 10th to 14th. His daughter had completed her LLB degree and was to enroll as a lawyer on October 11th and 12th. She wanted her father to be with her during this momentous occasion. When prison authorities rejected her leave application, she approached the High Court. The court, recognizing the importance of the daughter's perspective and her feelings, ordered the prison authorities to immediately release the convicted father temporarily for five days.