Date:22/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/22/stories/2006072206011500.htm

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Taking oath in the name of Allah held constitutional

KOCHI: Holding that the taking of oath of office in the name of Allah is constitutional, the Kerala High Court on Friday said any move to prevent this would defeat the secular character of the nation. Dismissing a public interest litigation, filed by Madhu Parumala, vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, seeking a declaration that 11 MLAs, who had taken oath in the name of Allah, be disqualified, a Division Bench of Justices J.B. Koshy and V. Ramkumar held that Allah is the synonym of "God" and taking oath in the name of Allah is taking oath in the name of God.

The Bench observed that the MLAs had taken the oath in their personal capacity and not on behalf of voters of their constituencies. If taking oath in the name of Allah is prevented, it will defeat the secular character of the nation, they said.

The judges said the 11 MLAs had neither committed any illegality nor violated the statutory form in the Constitution and Article 158. — PTI