The President has appointed five experienced District Judges as Additional Judges to the Kerala High Court, expanding its judicial strength to 45. The newly appointed judges—P. Krishnakumar, K.V. Jayakumar, S. Murali Krishna, Jobin Sebastian, and P.V. Balakrishnan—will take their oaths and assume office today. After a period of two years, they will be considered for permanent judge positions.
Profiles of Appointees:
P. Krishnakumar, previously serving as High Court Registrar General, ranked first in his selection as a District Judge in 2012. With experience as an Additional and Principal District Judge in both Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, he has also held roles such as Local Self Government Department Tribunal Judge and Chairman of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Administrative Committee. During his tenure as Judge in Ernakulam’s NIA Court, he delivered verdicts in high-profile cases, including the Kanakamala terrorism case and the diplomatic gold smuggling case. Additionally, he imposed a rigorous sentence on the notorious thief Bunty Chor while serving in Thiruvananthapuram.
K.V. Jayakumar, previously the Registrar (Vigilance) of the High Court, entered the judiciary as a District Judge in 2012. He has held positions as Additional District Judge in Thalassery and Palakkad, Vigilance Judge in Kozhikode, and Principal District Judge in Kollam and Thalassery.
S. Murali Krishna, the Kozhikode District Judge since 2014, has served as Additional District Judge in Kozhikode and Palakkad and as Principal District Judge in Manjeri.
Jobin Sebastian, formerly the Registrar (District Judiciary) at the High Court, became a District Judge in 2014. His notable contributions include verdicts in prominent cases such as the Karuvatta Jishnu murder case, Kallara Jasina jewelry murder case, and Mavelikara petrol pump murder case.
P.V. Balakrishnan, currently the Principal District Judge in Thiruvananthapuram and Chairman of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Administrative Committee, began his role as District Judge in 2014. His past positions include Additional District Judge roles in Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, and Mavelikara, as well as Principal District Judge in Kasaragod.
This series of appointments reflects a commitment to strengthening the judiciary in Kerala and addressing the increasing caseload with experienced judicial officers.
