Kerala HC Issues Notice On Plea Alleging That Its Judge Heard Matters With Son's Vakalath, Son Sits In Judge's Chambers

The Kerala High Court has issued notice on a plea alleging that Justice Mary Joseph heard cases where her son, Advocate Prerith Philip Joseph held vakalath. The Writ Petition also alleges that the Advocate regularly visits the Judge's chambers and threatens the staff of the Judge.

Yesterday, Justice Shaji P. Chaly issued notice before admission to the Registrar General in the plea, but did not issue notice to the Judge and the Advocate concerned, stating that the same is "dispensed with for the time being". The Bench also directed that the matter be listed on April 10.

The petitioner, Advocate Yeshwanth Shenoy has alleged that the Judge had made certain false allegations against the Petitioner based on which the Bar Council of Kerala issued a Show Cause Notice and the High Court initiated a suo moto criminal contempt case.

The plea says that the son of the Judge has nexus with certain advocates and lobbies and in accordance with their instruction, he allegedly visited the chambers of his mother and convinced the Judge to file a false complaint with the Bar Council of Kerala and also with the Chief Justice of the Court.

The petitioner, who appeared in person, has averred that the Respondent-Advocate being the son of the Judge has free entry and exit to the chambers of his mother in the High Court.

The Petitioner further submitted that the Advocate is found more often in the chambers of the Judge and that there are several complaints with the Registrar of the High Court from the staff of the Judge alleging misbehaviour of the Advocate.

The Petitioner alleges that the Registry has failed to ensure that matters in which the Advocate Prerith Philip Joseph has filed vakalath is not placed before his mother-Judge. The petitioner claims that certain matters in which the vakalath of the Advocate was filed was heard by the Judge in violation of the code of judicial ethics contained in the Restatement of Values of Judicial Life.

The petitioner states that the Advocate continued to visit the chambers of the Judge in spite of the specific orders of the Chief Justice of the High Court restraining advocates from visiting any of the Judges of the High Court.

The petitioner has prayed for direction to the Registrar General to preserve the CCTV footages of the entry (both public and private) of the chambers of the Judge for a period of 6 months and to restrain Advocate Prerith Philip Joseph from entering the chambers of the Judge.

Cause Title- Yeshwanth Shenoy v. Justice Mary Joseph & Others

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