Kerala High Court Collegium recommends 5 judicial officers for elevation as HC judges

The Collegium of the Kerala High Court has recommended the names of five judicial officers including two women for elevation as High Court judges.

The list includes Alappuzha Principal District and Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese who had recently acquitted cine actor Dileep of consipiracy allegations in a sexual assault case.

The other four names recommended are:

Sasi Kumar PS - Principal District and Sessions Judge, Thrissur

KK Balakrishnan - Principal District and Sessions Judge, Ernakulam

N Harikumar - Prinicpal District and Sessions Judge, Pathanamthitta

Nazeera S - Principal District and Sessions Judge, Thiruvananthapuram.

These recommendations will be forwarded to the Supreme Court collegium for its consideration.

Judge Varghese handled the trial and recently delivered the verdict in the 2017 actress assault case in which prominent Malayalam actor Dileep was an accused. The ruling convicted six persons for rape and kidnapping, but acquitted Dileep of allegations that he had masterminded the crime.

At the time of passing the verdict, Judge Varghese was the Principal District and Sessions Judge in Ernakulam. She was later tranferred to Alappuzha as part of routine transfers.

According to sources, the High Court Collegium is also considering the names of several advocates for elevation. However, the recommendations in that regard have not been finalised.