Magistrates Can Release Vehicles Seized for Illegal Waste Dumping: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has made it clear that magistrate courts are not barred from releasing vehicles seized for illegal waste dumping.

Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan clarified that its earlier order in the suo motu waste management case (WP(C) No. 7844/2023) only required District Collectors to inform the Court about such releases.

The court didn’t restrict magistrates from acting under Section 497 BNSS.

The ruling came while hearing the present case, where a magistrate had wrongly denied the release of a seized van.

The High Court set aside that order and asked for fresh consideration. [Bibin Paulson v. State of Kerala]