President Murmu directs Justice Nisha Banu of Madras HC to assume charge at Kerala HC before December 20

President Droupadi Murmu has directed Justice Nisha Banu of the Madras High Court to assume charge at the Kerala High Court on or before December 20, 2025.

“The President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to direct Justice J Nisha Banu, Judge, Madras High Court, to assume charge of her office in the Kerala High Court on or before 20.12.2025,” a Department of Justice Notification dated December 12 read.

The Centre had notified Justice Banu’s transfer from the Madras High Court to the Kerala High Court on October 14, 2025. But she has not assumed charge of her office at the Kerala High Court.

The Supreme Court Collegium had on August 27, 2025, recommended the transfer of Justice Banu — third senior-most judge of the Madras High Court and part of the High Court Collegium — to the Kerala High Court.

As she did not join the Kerala High Court despite the transfer order, some lawyers from Madras High Court wrote to the President, the Vice President, the CJI, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, terming it a case of judicial indiscipline.