Overview

• Chamber 1 proceedings during the morning session, presided over by Chief Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar, were disrupted by a strong odour attributed to an Asian palm civet.
• The Chief Justice handled urgent matters before adjourning as the smell intensified, and cleaning staff were deployed to investigate.
• Officials suspect the animal entered through air-conditioning vents and took shelter between the ceiling and the roof, with no confirmation of capture or removal at the time.
• The incident echoes earlier complaints from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan about civets disturbing sleep and soiling clothes at their official residences in Thiruvananthapuram.
• The species is nocturnal and largely frugivorous, its pungent urine can be problematic in enclosed spaces, and wildlife observers emphasize its seed-dispersal role despite the urban nuisance.