A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday extended by two weeks its stay on the transfer of Kozhikode Principal District and Sessions Judge S. Krishnakumar who had granted bail to writer Civic Chandran in a sexual assault case and made remarks about the dress of the survivor, as Presiding Officer of the Kollam labour court.
The Bench passed the order when an appeal filed by the judge challenging a single judge’s order rejecting his plea against the transfer came up for hearing. The Bench adjourned to October 11 the hearing as the counsel for the High Court Registrar sought time for filing an affidavit in response to the petition. Dismissing his plea, the single judge had observed that the petitioner, who was a member of the higher judicial service, could not be said to be prejudiced in any manner for his posting as Presiding Officer of the labour court, which was a post born from the cadre of District Judge.
