KOCHI: The state government on Tuesday informed the Kerala High Court that Monday’s single judge order directing the Ernakulam and Palakkad district collectors to take over possession of six churches under the Jacobite faction exceeded jurisdiction and was outside the provisions of statutes. The Jacobite faction too appealed against order.

While dealing with contempt of court case on Monday, the single judge gave the two collectors one week to take over possession of the St Mary’s Orthodox Church, Odakkali, St John’s Besphage Orthodox Syrian Church, Pothanickad, and St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church, Mazhuvannoor, in Ernakulam and the St Mary’s Orthodox Church, Mangalam dam, St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church, Erickinchira, and St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church, Cherukunnam, in Palakkad.

The government’s appeal said the single judge exceeded jurisdiction. Under the Contempt of Courts Act, there cannot be any interim direction in a contempt case to implement the judgement rendered in a writ petition, the government said.

The division bench reserved its judgment on the appeals after the conclusion of arguments by all parties. It also extended by two weeks the interim order staying the single judge directive.