Kochi: The Kerala High Court has announced the formation of a special bench to hear cases related to ragging in the state. The decision was made on Tuesday by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S Manu while considering a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) to curb ragging incidents.

KeLSA, citing recent reports of ragging in colleges, suggested the formation of district-level and state-level monitoring committees to ensure the effective implementation of anti-ragging laws. The proposed committees would include representatives from the government, legal service institutions, and civil society, including teachers and parents. Their primary role would be to oversee the enforcement of anti-ragging guidelines, regulations, and judicial directives.

To enhance accountability, KeLSA recommended that educational institutions and relevant government departments submit regular progress reports to the monitoring committees. Additionally, it proposed a framework to ensure that every reported incident of ragging is immediately flagged and processed through district-level monitoring bodies.

Further, KeLSA emphasised the need for an anonymous complaint mechanism and the establishment of a 24x7 toll-free helpline to improve accessibility for victims. It also suggested conducting periodic audits of anti-ragging measures at the district and taluk levels and organising training programmes for educational authorities, teachers, and student representatives. 
(With LiveLaw inputs.)