3 HC Judges to retire in May on successive days

KOCHI: In a rare coincidence, three judges of the Kerala High Court will retire next month on consecutive days. Justice R Basanth, Justice V Ramkumar and Justice P Q Barkath Ali will retire on May 5, 6 and 7 respectively. A full court reference will be held at the High Court on April 13 in honour of Justice Basanth. Basanth was appointed as an additional judge of High Court of Kerala in September 2002 and a permanent judge in  September 2004. He had earlier served as Secretary of Calicut Bar Association. He was appointed as the District and Sessions Judge in 1988.Ramkumar, after enrolment, started practice in the Kerala High Court. He was appointed the District Judge direct from the Bar and posted as IInd Additional District and Sessions Judge, Ernakulam, in July 1988. He worked as Additional District Judge at Kozhikode and Ernakulam and as District Judge at Thodupuzha and Thiruvananthapuram, as Special Judge CBI  and Special Judge (Idamalayar Investigation) at Ernakulam and as Enquiry Commissioner &  Special Judge at Thiruvananthapuram. He had also served as Law Secretary. He became a permanent Judge of the Kerala High Court in October 2004.Barkath Ali started practice in 1974 and was appointed as munsiff at Thalassery in 1982. He served as Munsiff Magistrate and was promoted as Sub Judge and served at Mavelikkara, Manjeri and Thrissur. He had served as Principal District Judge, Kalpetta, Enquiry Commissioner and Special Vigilance Judge, Thrissur and as District Judge, Thalassery.  He was sworn in as the Additional Judge of the Kerala High Court in May 2009. A full court reference will be held on May 2 in honour of Ramkumar and Barkath Ali.