Kerala HC rejects plea to bar Patriarch from attending meets

Kochi, Oct 15 (UNI) The Kerala High Court today dismissed a petition seeking a bar on the Patriarch of Antioch Ignatius Zakka-I from attending any religious function in the state during his visit, starting later this week.

The petition was filed by two clergymen, Dr John Abraham Konat and Dr George Joseph of the Orthodox Syrian Church, who contended that the Patriarch was arriving on a visitor's visa and was not authorised to attend any religious function.

If he was allowed to attend any religious meeting, that will violate the Foreigners Rules, they argued before Mr Justice P N Raveendran, who rejected the petition.

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