LEX INSIGHT

  A day ago, while scrolling through a WhatsApp group, I came across a news item declaring Sikkim as the nation’s first fully paperless judiciary. This immediately piqued my interest and brought to mind the classic analogy: "If Keechaka is killed, Bhima must be the one who did it." In January 2026, one of the most beloved judges of the Kerala High Court, Justice Muhamed Mustaque, was elevated as the Chief Justice of that Himalayan state. Knowing his track record, it was clear to me that he was the person behind this digital transformation. When his elevation was first notified by the Central Government, many of his admirers, myself included, felt a tinge of sadness. Compared to other jurisdictions on the list, it seemed a small High Court for a judge of his caliber, and many felt he deserved a larger stage. However, upon reading this news, I realized that his Lordship likely viewed the posting not as a limitation, but as an opportunity to create a model for the rest of the co...

I saw the radiant faces of Saniya, Fahima, and Rajeena—our interns—as they concluded their month-long internship with our firm. Saniya held a detailed printed report, a testament to the fact that our collective efforts had not been in vain. Because the High Court was not in session, we had to innovate to sustain the internship’s momentum, pivoting to oral instructions, deep-dives into brief reading, and mastering the digital framework of the Kerala High Court. On their penultimate day, I challenged them with a question: How can your legal studies cross the borders of India? I reminded them that much of what is studied under the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) culminates in a decree—yet a decree generally cannot travel beyond India’s boundaries, save for the specific provisions of Section 44A regarding reciprocating territories. I posed the same dilemma regarding criminal law: with the exception of the erstwhile Section 188 of the CrPC, how can the reach of our criminal law extend into th...

  Bridging the Vocational Gap and Reclaiming Kerala’s Place in Global Dispute Resolution Karthik J Panicker joined our firm as an intern shortly after graduating in law from Christ College, Bangalore, and transitioned into an associate role after enrolling as an advocate. At the time, he was in that state of uncertainty common to many new graduates, unsure of his next steps in life. While he possessed a bare idea that commercial practice was an area of interest, his path was not yet defined. Being the nephew of my friend and classmate—the prominent criminal trial lawyer Adv. Sajeev C.K.—he came before me. While Sajeev C.K. is a renowned expert in criminal law, Karthik’s inclination clearly leaned toward the commercial side of the profession. It was not long after his arrival that the SCL Monsoon Conference took place in July 2024. Held at the Kerala High Court Auditorium, this was Kochi's first full-fledged SCL conference, organized by SCL India and its Kerala Chapter. Karthik ha...