Kochi: BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar has filed a ₹100 crore defamation case against Reporter TV, accusing the channel of broadcasting false and defamatory news linking him to a controversial BPL land deal.

The case names nine individuals, including Managing Editor Anto Augustine, Consulting Editor Arun Kumar, and several senior journalists.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged that the channel falsely connected him with BPL Ltd. and misused his name in a story about land given by the Karnataka government for a BPL television manufacturing unit.

The legal notice demands a public apology and withdrawal of the false report within seven days, warning of further action otherwise.

BPL itself has clarified that the land deal was legitimate, backed by a 2003 Supreme Court ruling, and that Chandrasekhar has no financial or shareholding connection with the company.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar called the allegations a diversionary tactic meant to distract from controversies like the Sabarimala gold theft and the Messi dispute.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Government of Kerala has published the list of public holidays for 2026 under the Negotiable Instruments Act. The list includes Mannam Jayanthi and Maundy Thursday. Although Maundy Thursday was initially left out of the Cabinet-approved list, an official order including it is expected soon.

2026 Public Holidays Summary

January

• Jan 2 (Fri): Mannam Jayanthi
• Jan 26 (Mon): Republic Day

February

• Feb 15 (Sun): Shivaratri

March

• Mar 20 (Fri): Ramzan

April

• Apr 2 (Thu): Maundy Thursday
• Apr 3 (Fri): Good Friday
• Apr 5 (Sun): Easter
• Apr 14 (Tue): B.R. Ambedkar Jayanthi
• Apr 15 (Wed): Vishu

May

• May 1 (Fri): May Day
• May 27 (Wed): Bakrid

June

• Jun 25 (Tue): Muharram

August

• Aug 12 (Wed): Karkidaka Vavu
• Aug 15 (Fri): Independence Day
• Aug 25 (Tue): First Onam, Nabi Day
• Aug 26 (Wed): Thiruvonam
• Aug 27 (Thu): Third Onam
• Aug 28 (Fri): Fourth Onam, Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi, Ayyankali Jayanthi

September

• Sep 4 (Fri): Sri Krishna Jayanthi
• Sep 21 (Mon): Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi

October

• Oct 2 (Thu): Gandhi Jayanthi
• Oct 20 (Tue): Mahanavami
• Oct 21 (Wed): Vijayadashami

November

• Nov 8 (Sun): Deepavali

December

• Dec 25 (Fri): Christmas

Kochi: The Kerala High Court has ruled that the body of late CPM leader M.M. Lawrence can be donated for medical study. The division bench dismissed a review petition filed by his daughter, Asha Lawrence, who had requested that her father’s body be allowed to be cremated according to religious customs.

Earlier, a single bench had permitted the donation of Lawrence’s body to a medical college for educational purposes. The daughter had approached the court again seeking to review that order, which has now been rejected.

Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has increased the welfare pension to ₹2000 per month, raising it by ₹400 from the earlier ₹1600. The Chief Minister announced that ₹13,000 crore will be set aside annually for pension distribution.

The monthly honorarium for Anganwadi workers and helpers has been raised by ₹1000 each, which is expected to cost ₹934 crore annually. The honorarium of ASHA workers will also be increased by ₹1000 per month, incurring an additional annual expense of ₹250 crore.

The honorarium of literacy mission instructors will be raised by ₹1000. Pending installments of DA and DR for state government employees, teachers, and pensioners—two of which have already been sanctioned this year—will now include one more installment. The 4% arrears will be disbursed along with the November salary and pension.

Students undergoing skill development courses will receive government assistance of ₹1000 each. The daily wage of cooks will be increased by ₹50. Guest lecturers’ monthly remuneration will be raised by up to ₹2000.

Women from poor families will receive monthly financial aid. Those holding yellow or pink ration cards, who are not receiving any other pension, will get a monthly Women’s Safety Pension of ₹1000.

The salaries of pre-primary teachers and ayahs will be raised by ₹1000 per month. The support price for rubber under the Rubber Production Incentive Scheme will be increased from ₹180 to ₹200 per kg, while the procurement price of paddy will go up from ₹28.20 to ₹30 per kg.