The Kerala High Court on Wednesday dismissed a review petition filed by the daughters of late veteran CPM leader M M Lawrence, challenging the rejection of their appeal against an order permitting the donation of their father’s body.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S Manu delivered the judgment.

After Lawrence’s death on September 21, 2024, at the age of 95, his daughter Asha Lawrence had approached the Single Bench of the High Court two days later, objecting to her siblings’ decision to hand over their father’s body to the Ernakulam Government Medical College.

She argued that her father had followed Christian rituals and that his body ought to have been buried according to Christian rites. She also stated that she had not consented to the donation. The Single Bench disposed of the petition the same day, directing the Principal of the Medical College to hear Asha’s objections before accepting the body.

Following the court’s direction, the Principal constituted a committee, which heard Asha, her siblings, and others before deciding to accept the body donation.

Asha later approached the High Court again, arguing that the hearing conducted by the committee was improper. However, the Single Bench dismissed her plea, noting that the deceased had expressed his desire to donate his body for medical studies under Section 4A of the Kerala Anatomy Act.

Asha subsequently filed an appeal before the Division Bench, contending that the finding of the Single Judge that her father had wished to donate his body was unverified. Another daughter, Sujatha Boban, also withdrew her consent for the donation and filed a separate appeal against the Single Judge’s order.
(With LiveLaw inputs)