The KHCAA President during the Full Court Reference at the Kerala High Court praised Justice Sudha’s integrity and determination, saying she needed no reservation and achieved success purely through her hard work before her transfer to the Delhi High Court.
A Full Court Reference at the Kerala High Court celebrated Justice Chandrasekharan Sudha, whose recent transfer to the Delhi High Court was announced.
During the event, the Kerala High Court Advocates Association (KHCAA) President, Yeshwanth Shenoy, raised concerns regarding calls for women’s reservation in the judiciary.
The gathering, held in the Chief Justice’s Court Hall on Wednesday, featured remarks from Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar, Advocate General Gopalakrishnan Kurup, and KHCAA President Yeshwanth Shenoy.
Shenoy reflected on Justice Sudha’s judicial career, praising her dedication, intellectual rigor, and commitment to public service. He noted that her rulings consistently upheld justice while being sensitive to vulnerable groups, including women, minors, and marginalized communities.
He emphasized that Justice Sudha’s accomplishments were the result of merit and hard work. Shenoy expressed the importance of recognizing women’s contributions to the judiciary, stating that demands for reserved positions were demeaning.
He remarked,
“Every elevation, transfer, and retirement of a woman judge always triggers a debate on women in the judiciary and the need for women’s reservation. Personally, I find it demeaning as it undermines the ability of those women who have strived hard to achieve success. Justice Sudha did not need any reservation and she has reached this place solely through her hard work and determination,”
Advocate General Kurup highlighted Justice Sudha’s distinguished career, emphasizing her judicial philosophy that combined rigorous legal reasoning with empathy and praised her for her sensitive approach in her rulings.
Chief Justice Jamdar acknowledged Justice Sudha’s significant contributions to the justice system and wished her success in her new role.
In her closing remarks, Justice Sudha expressed gratitude to all present and quoted Robert Frost,
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.”
Born on October 9, 1964, Justice Sudha began her judicial career in 1995 after ranking first in the Kerala Judicial Service examination. She earned her BA in Economics from Mar Ivanios College and her LLB from Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram.
After enrolling as an advocate in 1989, she practiced law at the Thiruvananthapuram District Court. She was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Kerala High Court on October 20, 2021, and became a Permanent Judge on September 5, 2023.
Throughout her over thirty-year career, Justice Sudha has held various judicial and administrative roles, including Registrar of the Cyber Appellate Tribunal, Assistant Controller of Investigation with the Ministry of Communication and IT, and Registrar of both the Competition Appellate Tribunal and the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal in New Delhi.