The Kerala Government has created the post of Senior Standing Counsel for the Supreme Court for the first time, appointing advocate Ramesh Babu. The Congress-led government also appointed four Standing Counsel to strengthen Kerala’s legal representation before the apex court in constitutional and other important matters.
The Kerala government has, for the first time, created the post of Senior Standing Counsel for matters before the apex court for strengthening the State’s legal representation before the Supreme Court. The newly created position has been entrusted to advocate Ramesh Babu, marking a notable institutional change in the State’s legal framework.
The decision forms part of a broader restructuring of Kerala’s law officer appointments following the formation of the new Congress-led government after the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections.
The creation of the post of Senior Standing Counsel represents a departure from Kerala’s earlier practice of engaging standing counsel and senior advocates on a case-to-case basis before the Supreme Court. With an increasing number of constitutional, administrative, taxation, environmental and federal disputes reaching the apex court, the State government has now opted to establish a dedicated senior position to coordinate and lead its legal representation in the country’s highest court.
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Advocate Ramesh Babu has been appointed as Kerala’s first Senior Standing Counsel before the Supreme Court. The appointment is expected to provide greater continuity in litigation strategy and improve coordination between the State government, the office of the Advocate General and the panel of counsel representing Kerala in New Delhi.
Four Standing Counsel Also Appointed: Alongside the appointment of the Senior Standing Counsel, the State Cabinet has approved the appointment of four Standing Counsel who will represent Kerala before the Supreme Court in various matters.
The newly appointed Standing Counsel are:
- Sulfikar Ali
- Aljo Joseph
- Marsook Thangal
- James P. Thomas
These advocates will assist in conducting litigation involving the State government before the Supreme Court, including constitutional matters, civil disputes, criminal appeals, service matters and cases involving State departments. The appointments are intended to ensure effective legal representation as the State continues to litigate a wide range of issues before the apex court.
The latest appointments come shortly after the Congress-led government assumed office following its victory in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections. Since taking office, the new administration has undertaken a comprehensive reconstitution of the State’s legal leadership by appointing new law officers to key constitutional and statutory positions.
Earlier, the government appointed Senior Advocate K. Jaju Babu as the Advocate General of Kerala, making him the State’s highest law officer responsible for advising the government on legal matters and representing it before constitutional courts.
The Cabinet also appointed T. Asaf Ali as the Director General of Prosecution and State Public Prosecutor, entrusting him with the responsibility of supervising criminal prosecutions conducted on behalf of the State.
The appointment of a Senior Standing Counsel and a new panel of Standing Counsel before the Supreme Court complements these earlier decisions and reflects the government’s effort to reorganise Kerala’s legal representation at both the constitutional and prosecutorial levels.
Every State government regularly appears before the Supreme Court in matters involving constitutional interpretation, disputes with the Union government, inter-state issues, public interest litigation, service matters, criminal appeals and challenges to High Court judgments.
Traditionally, States engage panels of advocates and standing counsel to conduct litigation before the Supreme Court. However, Kerala had not previously created a dedicated post of Senior Standing Counsel exclusively for the apex court.
The establishment of the post is expected to streamline the State’s litigation strategy, improve coordination among counsel appearing on its behalf and strengthen the presentation of Kerala’s cases before the Supreme Court. The move also aligns with the new government’s broader effort to restructure the State’s legal administration following the change in political leadership after the 2026 Assembly elections.
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