Kerala High Court
Devananda K S Represented By Her ... vs State Of Kerala on 15 January, 2026
Author: Bechu Kurian Thomas
Bench: Bechu Kurian Thomas
WP(C) No.1533 of 2026 1
2026:KER:3412
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE BECHU KURIAN THOMAS
THURSDAY, THE 15TH DAY OF JANUARY 2026 / 25TH POUSHA, 1947
WP(C) NO. 1533 OF 2026
PETITIONER:
DEVANANDA K S REPRESENTED BY HER GUARDIAN
AGED 17 YEARS
D/O SHAJI K N, KANNOTH HOUSE, KANICHAR KANICHAR,
KANNUR, KERALA, REPRESENTED BY HER GUARDIAN JISHA
SHAJI, AGED 43 YEARS, W/O SHAJI K N, KANNOTH
HOUSE, KANICHAR P O, KANICHAR, KANNUR, PIN -
670674
BY ADVS.
SHRI.LATHEEF P.K.
SHRI.ALBIN T.O.
RESPONDENTS:
1 STATE OF KERALA
REPRESENTED BY THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, GENERAL
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, ROOM NO. 206, SECOND FLOOR,
SOUTH SANDWICH BLOCK, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT,
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM GENERAL P.O.,
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695001
2 THE ADDITIONAL DIRECTOR OF GENERAL EDUCATION
ROOM NO. 206, SECOND FLOOR, SOUTH SANDWICH BLOCK,
GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
GENERAL P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN -
695001
3 THE CHAIRMAN
APPEAL COMMITTEE OF THE DISTRICT SCHOOL
KALOLSAVAM, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION,
PUZHATHI HOUSING COLONY, KANNUR, PIN - 670002
OTHER PRESENT:
WP(C) No.1533 of 2026 2
2026:KER:3412
SMT. AMMINIKUTTY K., SR.GP
THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR
ADMISSION ON 15.01.2026, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY
DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
WP(C) No.1533 of 2026 1
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BECHU KURIAN THOMAS,J
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WP(C) No.1533 of 2026
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Dated this the 15th day of January, 2026
JUDGMENT
Petitioner's team participated in the event 'Group Dance' in the Kannur District School Kalolsavam 2025-26 in HSS General Category. She secured 4th place with 'A' Grade. Aggrieved by the evaluation conducted, she preferred an appeal. By Ext. P2 order dated 04.12.2025, the appeal was rejected against which this writ petition has been preferred.
2. I have heard the learned counsel for the petitioner as well as the learned Government Pleader.
3. The learned counsel pointed out that there was no reference to the objections raised, and the appeal has been rejected without any basis.
4. The Appellate Authority considered her contentions and rejected the challenge. The appellate authority came to such a conclusion after verifying the score sheets, Stage Manager's report, videograph and also the evaluation sheet. The Appellate Authority also noted that the performance on the day of the event of the petitioner was not up to the mark as that of the first WP(C) No.1533 of 2026 2 2026:KER:3412 place holder.
5. Interference with the evaluation of a performance or the order of the Appellate Authority cannot be subjected to challenge in a writ petition, unless there are exceptional reasons. The contention that on the day of the event the performance of the petitioner was par excellence, is not a matter which can be appreciated by this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. This Court does not have the expertise in appreciating or evaluating performing arts and cannot assess the performance of the candidates.
6. The impugned order is dated 04.12.2025, and the petitioner approached this Court only on 14.01.2026, that is, after the State Kalolsavam commenced. Though it is pleaded that the petitioner approached the Lokayuktha in the meantime, the order of the Lokayuktha has not been produced. Moreover, the objections raised by the petitioner are not peculiar to the petitioner's team and the same are all general and vague objections, which are all disputed questions of fact and cannot be considered by this Court in this writ petition.
7. In the decisions in Sweety v. State of Kerala [1994 KHC 216] and in Devna Sumesh v. State of Kerala [2022 KHC 8081] apart from the Division Bench judgments in WP(C) No.1533 of 2026 3 2026:KER:3412 Manas Manohar v. Registrar, Kerala Lok Ayuktha and Others [2022 (5) KHC 479] and Additional Director of Public Instructions and Others v. Anagha and Others (2022 (5) KHC 473), it has been observed that this Court would not be justified in interfering with the assessment of performance or the order of the Appellate Committee in exercise of the discretionary power under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, in the absence of any exceptional reasons.
8. Since there are no exceptional reasons pointed out to interfere with the impugned order of the Appellate Authority, I find no merit in this writ petition.
The writ petition is hence dismissed.
Sd/-
BECHU KURIAN THOMAS,JUDGE pm WP(C) No.1533 of 2026 4 2026:KER:3412 APPENDIX OF WP(C) NO. 1533 OF 2026 PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS Exhibit P1 A TRUE COPY OF THE SCORE SHEETS OF GROUP DANCE (GIRLS) HSS GENERAL IN THE KANNUR REVENUE DISTRICT LEVEL KALOLSAVAM ISSUED BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, DATED 21-11-2025 Exhibit P2 TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER NO. DDEKNR / 7143/ 2025/ E3(108) DATED 04.12.2025 ISSUED BY THE 3RD RESPONDENT Exhibit P3 A TRUE COPY OF THE DIARY OF THE STAGE MANAGER Exhibit P4 A TRUE COPY OF THE KERALA SCHOOL KALOLSAVAM MANUAL 2025 Exhibit P5 A TRUE COPY OF THE PROGRAM SCHEDULE OF THE STATE SCHOOL KALOLSAVAM GOING TO BE HELD FROM 14-01-2026 TO 18-01-2026