No proposal to shift Kerala High Court to Kalamassery: Registrar General to Advocates Association

The Registrar General of the Kerala High Court has informed the Kerala High Court Advocates' Association (KHCAA) that there is presently no proposal to shift the High Court from its current premises in the heart of Kochi city to Kalamassery. .This interesting turn of events come at a time when the media reports of a proposed shift have been abound. In his letter to the KHCAA President, Registrar General P Krishna Kumar said that Chief Justice S Manikumar has directed him to confirm that there is no proposal to shift to Kalamassery. Rather, the High Court has only requested the State government to allot additional land to it for further development..Recent media reports and buzz amongst the legal community in Kerala have suggested that the the High Court building would be shifted to a large plot of land in Kalamassery which is over 12 kilometers away from its current location. Interestingly, Kalamassery is also the constituency of current State Law Minister, P Rajeev. .While the letter of the Registrar makes it clear that there is no proposal to shift the High Court in its entirety to Kalamassery, it is indicated that the High Court is considering its options for expansion and development, possibly in light of some issues that lawyers, litigants, judges and the general public in the vicinity of the present building..Soon after the High Court complex was inaugurated in 2006, complaints regarding poor quality of construction started spreading in legal circles.The present location of the High Court is prone to flooding and waterlogging during the monsoon. This, coupled with the fact that the roads that connect the premises to the main roads are barely enough for two lanes of traffic, have left many lawyers and court staff disgruntled.In fact, on many days when heavy rainfall lashed the city, the High Court had to delay its sitting by several hours, with some judges unable to reach the Court.The 8-storey building has been decrepit for quite some time. Even though, in 2018, the Court had undertaken some structural strengthening work, there has been no apparent improvement in the facilities available inside.Another issue that is talked about in legal circles is the lack of parking facilities in the premises of the High Court. Even though the KHCAA has a building right next to the High Court with additional parking space, the same has not proven sufficient, even during the Covid-19 period when footfall was far less.