The Kerala High Court on November 1, 2026, inaugurated its Platinum Jubilee celebrations, marking 70 years of its establishment. The ceremony was attended by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, Supreme Court Judge Justice S.V.N. Bhatti, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, Kerala High Court Chief Justice Justice Soumen Sen, former judges of the Supreme Court and High Court, and members of the Bar.
Delivering the inaugural address, CJI Surya Kant praised the Kerala High Court for its pioneering role in advancing women’s representation in the judiciary. Recalling that the institution gave India its first woman High Court judge, Justice Anna Chandy, and the first woman Supreme Court judge, Justice M. Fathima Beevi, he said its progressive approach may also have influenced the Collegium.
“Maybe somewhere in the back of my mind, I must have again been influenced by the visionary approach of this High Court,” he said, referring to the elevation of two women judges to the Supreme Court in recent times. He also recalled his efforts to secure 30% representation for women in State Bar Councils, the Bar Council of India and Bar Associations, crediting the Kerala High Court for setting an example when the higher judiciary and Bar bodies were largely male-dominated. He said:
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“It seems to me that after I took over as Chief Justice of India, the Collegium must have been influenced by this pragmatic and progressive approach of the Kerala High Court, as we have been able to bring two distinguished women judges to the Supreme Court in recent times. Maybe somewhere in the back of my mind, I must have again been influenced by the visionary approach of this High Court.”
The CJI also highlighted the High Court’s constitutional jurisprudence, including its early recognition of the right to breathe clean air, and lauded its digital initiatives. He referred to the fully paperless functioning of the Kalpetta judicial district in Wayanad, describing it as the first district judiciary in the country to achieve the transformation.
Justice Soumen Sen, Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, in his presidential address, traced the institution’s history to the judicial traditions of Travancore, Cochin and Malabar. He recalled the contributions of Justice Anna Chandy, Justice M. Fathima Beevi and former Chief Justice of India Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, among other distinguished jurists. He also emphasised the need to strengthen the district judiciary through better infrastructure, filling vacancies, training and technology.
“70 years is both a celebration of achievement and a call for responsibility,” Justice Sen said, adding that the High Court’s legacy must be measured by the confidence it inspires, the liberties it protects and the justice it makes accessible.
Earlier, Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar, in his welcome address, recalled that the High Court was established on November 1, 1956, the day the State of Kerala came into being. He described its history as the convergence of three judicial traditions and paid tribute to its judges, lawyers and staff.
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“The court was not born from nothing. It inherited the traditions of the Travancore and Cochin courts… Three streams of judicial tradition became one river. That river has now flowed for 70 years,” he said.
Additional Solicitor General P. Sreekumar described the Platinum Jubilee as an occasion for retrospection and celebration, noting the High Court’s contribution to the administration of justice and its work in mediation.
Kerala Advocate General K. Jaju Babu recalled his participation in the High Court’s Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilee celebrations, tracing its growth from an institution with six judges and fewer than 5,000 cases to its present strength of 47 judges. He also referred to the Court’s contribution to women’s representation and its landmark judgments.
Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal highlighted Kerala’s contribution to women’s empowerment, recalling the legacies of Justice Anna Chandy and Justice M. Fathima Beevi. He also praised the High Court’s achievements in digitalisation and e-governance.
Justice S.V.N. Bhatti, a former Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court and now a Supreme Court judge, spoke about the importance of mentorship and the traditional apprenticeship model in the legal profession. He urged senior lawyers to guide young advocates and asked junior lawyers to learn through courtroom experience.
The ceremony also featured the release of a commemorative postage stamp and Platinum Jubilee souvenir, the launch of a documentary titled The High Court of Kerala: 70 Years of Justice, 200 Years of a Journey, and a special edition of the High Court’s newsletter, High Court Chronicles. The CJI also inaugurated the Kerala High Court Advocates’ Association Benevolent Fund Scheme 2026 and honoured Senior Advocate P.B. Menon with honorary life membership of the Association.