Kochi, 02 Jan (H.S.):Justice Soumen Sen will assume charge as the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court on January 9, following the approval of his appointment by the Supreme Court Collegium and the Union government. He will succeed Justice Nitin Jamdar, who is set to retire on the same day.

Currently serving as the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court, Justice Sen was recommended for the Kerala post by the Collegium on December 18. His elevation brings to the Kerala High Court a judge with extensive judicial and administrative experience, having served across multiple constitutional and institutional roles.

Justice Sen began his judicial career in 2011 when he was appointed as a judge of the Calcutta High Court. Before his elevation to the Bench, he practised for more than two decades as a leading advocate, representing prominent institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), and the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). His professional background spans constitutional, commercial, and regulatory law.

He gained nationwide attention during his tenure at the Calcutta High Court when a Division Bench led by him stayed a controversial order passed by Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. The judicial disagreement eventually reached the Supreme Court, where a Constitution Bench intervened, making the episode one of the most closely watched judicial developments in recent years.

Justice Sen took charge as Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court in October 2025 and is now set to lead the Kerala High Court at a crucial time. If not elevated further, he is due to retire on July 26, 2027.

His appointment is expected to bring administrative stability and judicial experience to the Kerala High Court, which handles one of the heaviest caseloads in the country.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman