In Brief
Fr. Issac Mattammel sought to challenge an interim order passed by the Kerala High Court that the Supreme Court found contradicted its earlier binding judgment in K.S. Verghese concerning the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The Court held that representative suits under the Code of Civil Procedure bind all interested parties and operate as res judicata, and lower courts cannot interfere or reopen settled matters. The Court emphasized that Articles 141 and 144 of the Constitution make Supreme Court judgments binding on all courts and authorities. The appeal was allowed; the impugned High Court order was set aside, and the Court directed that all pending matters follow the K.S. Verghese judgment without further litigation.
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