Kerala seeks public views on law to curb black magic, harmful practices
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Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has initiated steps toward framing a law to curb black magic, sorcery and other inhuman practices, with an expert committee inviting public suggestions and stakeholder inputs on the proposed legislation.
The panel, constituted as per a government order dated November 12, 2025, has been tasked with recommending legal measures to prevent harmful practices carried out in the name of superstition, officials said.
The committee includes K Sasidharan Nair, vice chairman of the Kerala Law Reforms Commission, and retired IPS officer Jacob Punnoose, among others.
As part of its work, the panel has prepared a provisional list of 34 harmful practices, classified into three categories based on severity.
Category A covers the most serious offences involving grave bodily harm, sexual violence and life-threatening acts carried out under the guise of occult practices. These include human sacrifice, torture, and denial of essential medical treatment.
Category B includes practices involving physical harm, coercion and degrading treatment, such as forced exorcism, witch-branding, and abuse rooted in superstition.
Category C covers regulatory and financial offences, including fraud, extortion and exploitation through false claims of supernatural powers, such as fake healing, misleading predictions and digital manipulation.
The provisional list has been published on the website of the Kerala Law Reforms Commission for public reference. The committee has invited citizens, organisations and stakeholders to submit their written opinions and suggestions by April 27, 2026.
Officials said the proposed legislation aims to address a wide range of exploitative practices while also ensuring legal safeguards to prevent misuse of the law.
The three-member expert committee was earlier constituted to examine the feasibility of enacting a dedicated law against black magic, witchcraft, sorcery and related practices carried out in the name of supernatural powers.
Under its mandate, the panel will also study the social, legal and constitutional implications of such legislation, review similar laws implemented in other states, and assess a draft bill prepared based on recommendations of the Kerala Law Reforms Commission, previously headed by KT Thomas.
With PTI inputs