About Chemical Examiner's Lab Department

Chemical Examiners Laboratories were established in India to render independent scientific service to Criminal Justice Administrative System.  The first Chemical Examiner’s Laboratory in India came into existence in Madras in the Year 1849. Chemical Examiner’s Laboratory in Kerala started functioning  in the year 1890  under the orders of Government as part of Health Department. The  Chemical Examiners Laboratory was  brought under Home Department as an independent department from June,1969 vide GO(MS)188/Home dated 13^th June 1969 and continuing as such.  It was started as a single Laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram.  Later  to meet steady increase in the volume of work and to ensure speedy disposal of chemico-legal work, Regional Chemical Examiners Laboratories were established in Kozhikode and Ernakulam in the years 1986 and 1989 respectively.

Mission and Vision  of the department

Every year, about 45000 articles involved in 20000 cases are subjected to chemical examination and certificates are issued to Judiciary / Medical Officers / Police Officers / Excise Officers etc.

1. A special drive programme is organised every year during festival seasons (Onam and Christmas) to check the adulteration of liquor samples with out delay. All the three offices used to work around the clock in the festival seasons. The results are released within hours of receipts of samples. This is just to prevent the occurrence of liquor tragedy in the State during festival occasions.

2.  Freshly recruited Excise Officers / Excise Staff are given training in Laboratories regarding proper sampling of liquor under Abkari Act.

3. Forensic Medicine Post Graduate Students are given training on various aspects of toxicological analysis.

4. The Officers of this Department take classes on 'Forensic toxicology', Chemico Legal Examination Rules, Narcotic substances and Drug abuse for Police Officers and Excise Officers including I.P.S. Probationers at Police Training College, Thiruvananthapuram.

5. Different batches of Final Year M.B.B.S. Students, Nursing Students and Pharmacy Students are given training at these Laboratories.

6. The officers of these Laboratories participates in various exhibitions on drug abuse and psychotropic substance abuse, conducted by various agencies with Government permission. The different types of drugs were exhibited and people were given awareness on impact of drug abuse on society and country.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Chief Chemical Examiner to Government is the Head of Department and is assisted by two Joint Chemical Examiners on the Technical side, an Administrative Officer and Financial Officer on the administrative side in the Central Chemical Examiner’s Laboratory at Thiruvananthapuram.  There are two Regional Laboratories one at  Ernakulam and other at Kozhikode.  The Regional Chemical Examiner’s Laboratories at Kozhikode and Ernakulam are headed by Joint Chemical Examiners.

• Organization  chart (PDF)

Line departments, Institutions and organizations under the department

The Revenue Districts under the jurisdiction of each Laboratory  are as shown below:

Chemical Examiner’s Laboratory, Thiruvananthapuram

1. Thiruvananthapuram
2. Kollam
3. Pathanamthitta
4. Alappuzha
5. Kottayam

Regional Chemical Examiner’s Laboratory, Ernakulam

1. Ernakulam
2. Idukki
3. Thrissur
4. Palakkad

Regional Chemical Examiner’s Laboratory, Kozhikode

1. Kozhikode
2. Malappuram
3. Wayanad
4. Kannur
5. Kasargod

Major Functions of the department

The articles referred to for examination in the Laboratory can broadly be classified under the following categories: