Key facts
- Kerala HC invalidated oaths of BJP councillors sworn in names of deities
- Councillors also invoked 'Mother India' — found impermissible
- Court ruled oaths must follow prescribed constitutional form only
- Ruling has implications for oath-taking norms across India
The Kerala High Court has struck down the oaths taken by BJP councillors after finding that they swore their allegiance in the names of Hindu deities and 'Mother India' — forms not sanctioned under the constitutional provisions governing oaths of public office.
The court ruled that an oath for elected office can be taken only in the name of God as a generic affirmation, or as a solemn affirmation without invoking any deity at all. Swearing by specific deities or invoking nationalist symbols such as 'Mother India' goes beyond what the law permits, the court held, rendering the oaths legally invalid.
The BJP councillors in question will now face the consequence of having their oaths declared void, raising questions about the legal validity of any official acts undertaken during the period covered by those oaths. The ruling is expected to prompt a re-administration of oaths in the prescribed constitutional form.
The verdict is significant beyond Kerala as well, setting a clear precedent on how public officeholders across India must conduct themselves when taking office. It reaffirms the secular character of constitutional oaths and underlines that elected representatives, regardless of political affiliation, are bound by the letter of constitutional procedure.