V. Muraleedharan Questions Legality Of Kerala Cabinet’s Nativity Card Decision

Union Minister of State for External Affairs and senior BJP leader V. Muraleedharanstrongly questioned the legality of the Kerala Cabinet’s decision to issue nativity certificates to non-Malayali students for admission to professional courses. Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Muraleedharan termed the move “unconstitutional” and “an attempt to divide people on linguistic lines” for narrow political gains.

The Kerala government, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, had recently decided to provide nativity certificates to students from other states who studied in Kerala schools for a specified period, enabling them to avail of domicile-based reservation benefits in medical, engineering and other professional courses. The decision was aimed at addressing long-standing demands from non-Malayali students who have completed their schooling in the state.

Muraleedharan argued that only the Union government has the authority to define domicile and nativity criteria for inter-state purposes, and that the state Cabinet’s unilateral decision could violate Article 14 (equality before law) and Article 15 (prohibition of discrimination) of the Constitution. He said: “This is not about helping students; this is vote-bank politics. The Left government is trying to create a new category of ‘Kerala nativity’ to appease a section ahead of elections. Such decisions can be struck down by courts.”

The minister further alleged that the LDF was using the issue to counter the BJP’s growing influence among migrant communities in Kerala and to deflect attention from governance failures. He urged the Centre to examine the matter and take appropriate legal steps if the decision is found to contravene central guidelines or judicial precedents.

The Kerala government has defended the policy, stating it aligns with existing domicile rules and protects the rights of students who have studied in the state for years. Education Minister V. Sivankutty said the decision was taken after legal consultation and would withstand any challenge.