After President's order, Justice Nisha Banu to assume charge at Kerala High Court on December 19

Justice Nisha Banu, who was transferred to the Kerala High Court from Madras High Court in October, is set to assume charge as a judge of the Kerala High Court on December 19.

The Kerala High Court has released a Youtube link to livestream the swearing-in of the judge thus, confirming the development.

Justice Banu's failure to join Kerala High Court for over two months, despite the notification of her transfer from Madras High Court, prompted a rare notification from the President last week directing the judge to assume charge on or before December 20.

The Central government had notified Justice Banu’s transfer from Madras High Court to Kerala High Court on October 14. However, she failed to taken charge at the Kerala High Court even nearly two months after the notification.

The delay had led to disquiet among members of the Madras High Court Bar, according to media reports.

Responding to a report on the Bar’s reaction, Justice Banu had told The Hindu that she had applied for leave and had also sought reconsideration of her transfer.

“When approached for her reaction, Justice Banu said she had submitted an earned leave application at the Madras High Court in view of her son’s marriage and was simultaneously awaiting the result of a request made for reconsideration of her transfer to the Kerala High Court,” the newspaper reported last month.

In this backdrop, Congress MP Sudha R raised questions in the Lok Sabha seeking clarification from the Union law ministry on whether Justice Banu continued to be part of the Madras High Court collegium and whether she had signed any list of candidates recommended for appointment as judges. The parliamentarian also asked whether the judge had sought reconsideration of her transfer.

In response, the government on October 12 did not address these queries directly.

Instead, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal outlined the constitutional and procedural framework governing judicial appointments and transfers. However, the Department of Justice on the same day released the President's notification directing Justice Banu to assume office at Kerala High Court.

[Read Notification]