First woman judge from state to head Kerala HC

BANGALORE: Justice Manjula Chellur, who has been appointed as Acting Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, was felicitated by the Advocates Association here on Friday.Justice Chellur was appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of the Kerala HC last week. She sets a record of sorts through her elevation: She is the first woman judge from the Karnataka HC to become Acting CJ of a High Court. And also, she becomes the first woman Acting CJ of the Kerala High Court.Justice Manjula Chellur has called upon women advocates not to give up their rights, while retaining women’s qualities in them.Speaking at the farewell function organised by the Advocates Association, Bangalore, on her transfer to the Kerala HC, she shared some of her experiences as a judge and some tense moments before delivering a few significant judgements. She said she would miss the Bangalore Bar.Speaking on the occasion, Acting Chief Justice of the Karnataka HC Vikramajit Sen described Justice Chellur as a judge who always had a passion to correct herself. Manjula enrolled as an advocate on August 11, 1978, and practised in courts in Bellary district. She joined the Karnataka Judicial Service as a District Judge on April 15, 1988. She was promoted as a District Judge (Super Time Scale) on December 12, 1994. She was appointed as an Additional Judge of the HC on February 21, 2000, and as a permanent Judge on August 17 in the same year.