Justice Alexander Thomas urges State to allot 17.73 acres of land for expansion of Kerala High Court

Kerala High Court judge Justice Alexander Thomas Friday called for expeditious action from the State government to allot land near the existing building of the High Court so that it can be expanded to meet the growing needs of the Court..Justice Thomas said that the expansion would also benefit other related institutions of the High Court such as the Kerala Legal Services Authority (KELSA) and the mediation centre.He therefore urged State authorities to favourably consider the demands made by the High Court for allotment of 17.73 acres near the present building for the expansion of court."Our High Court has made a consistent plea to the State government authorities at the higher level that 17.73 acres near to Mangalavanam, which is currently under the possession of the Kerala State Housing Board, be allotted to meet the expansion needs," he said.He also took a dim view of some recent developments that suggested that the land in question may have to be used for establishing some commercial centre."It does not require any elaborate expression that the needs of the judiciary in carrying out sovereign functions would certainly far outweigh the proposed requirement of any such commercial venture which can easily be accommodated in other lands that may be allotted by the government in other nearby areas in Ernakulam, Kalamassery, Kakkanad, etc.," Justice Thomas said.He said that in his time as Acting Chief Justice, he had written a letter to Chief Minister Pinararyi Vijayan, urging him to ensure that 17.73 acres near the Mangalavanam area is allotted to the High Court for its immediate development requirements.He added that on August 19, Chief Justice AJ Desai, him and Justice A Muhamed Mustaque had inspected the land.Interestingly, his statement comes at a time when there are proposals to move the High Court from its present campus to another locality - the suburb of Kalamassery."As all of you are aware, the infrastructure facilities now given to organisations like KELSA, Mediation centre etc, are highly inadequate compared to the facilities given by other States and other High Courts. Therefore, I would like to call upon the honourable Chief Justice, the members of the administrative committee of the High Court, the learned Advocate General and the learned members of the Bar, to immediately realise the gravity of the situation so that all of you can jointly, and collectively take up the matter with the honourable Chief Minister for immediate action for the allotment of the aforesaid land. I am sure the government would be fully alive to our concerns and would take a proactive and positive approach to meet the aforesaid vital requirements our High Court," he said..Justice Thomas was speaking at a full court reference organised in his honour as he is set to retire from service on September 3. Today was his last working day since the Court closed for Onam vacation today and will reopen only on September 4. .In his address, Justice Thomas voiced his views on how a court is much more than a building.It is a a beacon of hope, a sanctuary for the pursuit of truth, fairness and the protection of rights, he said.He also stated that he is grateful for the transformative initiatives taken by the judges and officials of the High Court."One blessing bestowed on me by the divine providence and mother earth that I could greatly enjoy is the Mangalavanam bird sanctuary area near to the High Court where I make my regular morning walks. The abundance of tranquility, serenity and fresh air that mother earth would bless some through Mangalavanam has never ceased to comfort me and bless me with vitality," he explained. .Specifically on the infrastructure requirements of the High Court, he pointed out that the present building of the High Court has been active since 2006 and since then, the State PWD authorities in consultation with other experts have concluded that it is impossible for vertical expansion of the existing High Court building. "This stultifies the future development projects of the High Court," he said.Hence, additional land would be required, he stated.He pointed out that the concerns regarding the eco-sensitive nature of the Mangalavanam area has been addressed by the Supreme Court in a recent judgment."The demand of the High Court for the above mentioned land of the High Court is fully justified and there is no suitable other vacant land in the proximity of the High Court," he opined..Before concluding his address, he once again urged the fraternity to continue the efforts for the expansion of the High Court."The juncture has emerged for you to carry on the voyage in my absence and I entrust you with its continuation with pride and confidence," Justice Thomas said. .Justice Alexander Thomas obtained a masters degree in Physics before he graduated in law from the Delhi Law Faculty, University of Delhi in 1988. He enrolled as an advocate and started practice the same year.In 1992, he was selected by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office of the UK and awarded the Commonwealth Scholarship in the Commonwealth Young Lawyers` Course. He attended the academic session in the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS) London and the Department of Law, University of London.From 1996-2001 he served first as a government pleader and then as a senior government pleader before the High Court of Kerala. He later worked as standing counsel for the Railway Ministry and Kerala Public Service Commission.Sworn in as an Additional Judge of the High Court of Kerala on January 23, 2014, he was appointed appointed as a Permanent Judge on March 10, 2016.Recently, Justice Thomas assumed charge as the Acting Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court of Kerala for the period between July 14 and 22, 2023..Chief Justice AJ Desai, Advocate General K Gopalakrishna Kurup, and President of the Kerala High Court Advocates' Association Biju S attended the event..The shifting legacy of the Kerala High Court - Part I