Kerala High Court turns 70; CJI Surya Kant hails its progressive contributions

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Sunday hailed the progressive contributions of the Kerala High Court, particularly in augmenting women's participation in the legal profession..Reflecting on Kerala High Court's history, CJI Kant recalled that its legacy extended beyond its establishment in 1956, tracing its roots to the court of Travancore and Cochin.He praised the institution for its progressive approach, particularly its contribution to women's representation in the judiciary and bar bodies, while remembering two pioneering women judges associated with the Court who went on to make history.CJI Kant noted that Justice Anna Chandy made history in 1959 by becoming the first woman to be appointed as a High Court judge in India, while Justice M Fathima Beevi of the Kerala High Court went on to become the first woman judge of the Supreme Court in 1989."All these historical steps find their strength and legacy somewhere and for that I will give full credit to the Kerala High Court because it was this High Court that at a time when the higher judiciary remained largely dominated by men or when the Bar Associations or the Bar Council were on the lighter side named as 'Men Club'," the CJI added..He was speaking at the inauguration of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Kerala High Court, marking 70 years since its establishment on November 1, 1956.The dignitaries present at the inaugural ceremony included Supreme Court Justice SV Bhatti, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Kerala High Court Chief Justice Soumen Sen, Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar, Advocate General Jaju Babu K, Additional Solicitor General P Sreekumar and Kerala High Court Advocates’ Association President Peeyus A Kottam, along with other judges of various High Court and former judges of the Kerala High Court..In his speech, CJI Kant expressed concern over the growing tendency of litigants approaching the Supreme Court seeking urgent listing or early hearing of cases pending before High Courts.He called upon High Courts to examine whether urgent matters could be identified more effectively, whether listing procedures could be made more transparent and whether technology could be used to prioritise cases where delays could cause serious harm to litigants."These are not questions of institutional criticism, but of collective responsibility. Judicial independence and judicial efficiency are not competing virtues. On the contrary, timely and effective functioning reinforces public confidence in the independence of our courts," the CJI said..He also referred to the Kerala High Court's landmark decision in K Ramakrishnan and anr v State of Kerala and ors (AIR 1999 Ker 385), which prohibited smoking in public spaces at a time when the harmful effects of passive smoking had not received widespread attention.CJI Kant described the ruling as an example of how courts could use constitutional principles to address emerging concerns and guide society towards change rather than waiting for public awareness to develop.While concluding his speech, CJI Kant expressed hope that the Kerala High Court would continue to combine its institutional experience with reforms and help make justice more accessible to the vulnerable sections of society..The celebrations also included the inauguration of the Kerala High Court Advocate's Association 'Benevolent Scheme 2026', the launch of a documentary titled 'The High Court of Kerala - 70 Years of Justice, 200 Years of a Journey', the release of a Platinum Jubilee souvenir and the unveiling of a commemorative stamp.Senior counsel P Balasubramanian Menon, who was recently conferred conferred Senior Advocate designation, was also honoured during the ceremony.An exhibition at the High Court, Nyaya Darshan - Glimpses of past, will be open to the public for a week from 4 pm to 6 pm..[Read Live Coverage]