Kochi: The Kerala High Court here on Wednesday ordered to hand over CPM veteran MM Lawrence's body to Ernakulam Government Medical College for medical research. The court issued the order after rejecting the appeals moved by Lawrence's daughters Asha Lawrence and Sujatha Boban. The appeals were moved against a single judge's decision to hand over the mortal remains to the medical college.

In her plea, Asha argued that her father never expressed any interest in donating his body to the medical college. She urged that the body ought to be buried according to the Christian rites. She had argued that the Single Bench had wrongly interpreted Section 4A of the Kerala Anatomy Act. She submitted that when there was a dispute on the donation of the body, the authorities could not have accepted the body. She also argued that as per the provision, the request should have been made before the authority.

However, the HC division bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S Manu dismissed her plea after upholding the body donation for medical research. The division bench's decision was confirmed by advocate Krishna Raj R, representing Asha Lawrence, who said that his client will move an appeal in the Supreme Court against the High Court's order. The detailed judgement is awaited.

Lawrence, 95, passed away while undergoing treatment at Medical Trust Hospital on Saturday, after receiving care for over a month due to age-related ailments.

The Ernakulam town hall here witnessed dramatic scenes on September 23, where the mortal remains of Lawrence were kept for public homage, as the late leader's daughter -- Asha Lawrence -- protested the decision to hand over his body to the medical college. She had subsequently moved the High Court challenging the decision of her siblings to donate their father's body to the medical college for educational purposes. Her sister Sujatha Boban had also later moved the High Court seeking the same relief.

A single judge of the High Court had on October 23 dismissed their pleas, prompting them to file an appeal against it. The medical college authorities had said that as per the affidavit filed by M L Sajeevan, the son of Lawrence, the communist leader had given his consent in March 2024 in front of two witnesses to hand over his remains for educational purposes.

A fierce critic of veteran CPM leader VS Achuthanandan, Lawrence made scathing remarks about him in his biography 'Ormacheppu Thurakkumbol', recalling instances of factionalism within the party. In 1998, he was demoted from the central committee to the Kadavanthra area committee following a report that probed his involvement in the Save CPM forum. He later returned to the state committee and served as General Secretary of the CITU.