A K Preetha becomes Idukki’s first woman High Court judge

Peermade: A K Preetha has become the first woman from Idukki district to be appointed as a Judge of the Kerala High Court. A native of Peermade, she assumed office as an Additional Judge on Monday.

Preetha is the daughter of the late B R Aravindan Nair, who had practised as a lawyer in the Peermade court, and Krishnamma. She studied up to the high school level at the St Pius School, Kuttikanam and after completing her legal education, began her career practising at the Peermade court.

Known for her expertise in labour laws, Preetha appeared in several cases before the Peermade Industrial Tribunal and the Labour Court before shifting her practice to the Kerala High Court.

Having served as an advocate at the High Court for nearly three decades, Preetha has played a key role in several significant judgments. Among the most notable was the High Court’s landmark ruling that medical records form part of a patient’s fundamental rights, delivered in a case argued by her. The High Court’s judgments concerning the Pink Police case and the definition of plantation workers also came in cases argued by her.

Preetha also represented the Sabarimala Aachara Samrakshana Vanitha Sangham, the women’s group that led the ‘Ready to Wait’ movement opposing the entry of women of menstruating age into Sabarimala Temple.

Her mother Krishnamma, along with her husband Dr Girish Kumar, Principal of St Dominic College of Law, Kanjirappally, and other family members, were present to witness the swearing-in ceremony.