Kochi: Justice K K Usha, the first Kerala woman to become the Chief Justice of Kerala High Court, passed away on Monday. She was 81.
Justice Usha had been undergoing treatment at the hospital after she suffered spinal injury due to a fall on September 30. She was put on ventilator support after her condition worsened.
Justice Usha, who served as judge in Kerala High Court from February 25, 1991, to July 3, 2001, was Chief Justice between 2000-2001.
Enrolled as an advocate in 1961, she was appointed Government pleader in the Kerala High Court in 1979.
After retiring from the high court, from 2001 to 2004, she served as the President of the Delhi-based Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal.
She represented India, in 1975, at the 18th International Convention of International Federation of Women Lawyers at Hamburg.
Retired High Court judge Justice K Sukumaran is her husband.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the death of Justice Usha.
