The central government has officially notified the appointment of five additional judges to the Kerala High Court, effective Tuesday. The newly appointed judges are Paramesara Panicker Krishna Kumar, Kodassery Veliyath Madom Jayakumar, Muralee Krishna Shankaramoole, Jobin Sebastian, and Varadaraja Iyer Balakrishnan.
Official Notification and Tenure
According to the notification issued by the Centre, these appointments have been made under the authority of Article 224(1) of the Constitution of India. The judges will serve for a period of two years, beginning from the date they assume their respective offices. The notification states: “In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 224 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint (i) Parameswara Panicker Krishna Kumar, (ii) Kodassery Veliyath Madom Jayakumar, (iii) Muralee Krishna Shankaramoole, (iv) Jobin Sebastian, and (v) Pandikkaran Varadaraja Iyer Balakrishnan, to be Additional Judges of the Kerala High Court.”
Background and Recommendations
The Supreme Court Collegium had previously recommended P. Krishna Kumar for elevation to the Kerala High Court in October 2023. Following the appointment of four other judicial officers—Justice M.B. Snehalatha, Justice Johnson John, Justice G. Girish, and Justice C. Pratheekkumar—Kumar’s seniority was reaffirmed in a subsequent recommendation made in October 2024.
The Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, in consultation with his two senior-most colleagues, initiated this recommendation, which received concurrence from both the Chief Minister and the Governor of Kerala.
