C. T. Ravikumar

A Division Bench of Ravikumar and M. Purushothaman in March 2021 in a Suo Motu case concerning the Travancore Devaswom Board noted that the virtual queue system of the Kerala Police was resulting in under-utilisation of permitted number of pilgrims at Sabrimala. Therefore the number of pilgrims was raised to 10,000.

He was elevated as judge of Supreme Court of India on 26 August 2021 and took oath on 31 August 2021. C. T. Ravikumar was the fifth judge of the Kerala High Court to become a judge of the Supreme Court without occupying the position of chief justice of a high court. He was also the 15th person from the state of Kerala to become a supreme court judge.

In 2019, the pair of Ravikumar and VG Arun in the case of Kerala Public Service Commission v. Radha S. considered the case of disqualification of teaching candidates on the ground that they had not submitted their NET qualification certificates on time. It observed that the incomplete applications were due to technical glitches in the Public Service Commission’s website and not the fault of the candidates. The PSC had also decided to admit applications which was restricted to candidates in subjects which had not been interviewed for. The Court held this to be a “hostile discrimination” violating Article 14.

Thereafter, in 2016, the bench of Ravikumar and Jyothindranath in the case of L.Mini & Ors vs Gireeshkumar & Anr, in a motor vehicle claims appeal having regard to the concept of a welfare state, made the government liable to compensate the deceased or the injured vehicle owner. The Bench held that “Roads to ply the vehicles are provided and maintained by the Government. Under such a circumstance, there will be a welfare state liability for the Government which will partially eclipse the maxim volunti non fit injuria and fault liability theory.” It noted that the government can either shoulder it by itself or can fasten liability upon the authorised insurance company by statutorily making it liable over and obove the liability of the insured for which an appropriate change in the Motor Vehicles Act was the need of the day.

In 2014, Ravikumar created headlines when he refused to hear 50 petitions relating to renewal of licenses of 418 bars in different parts of the state filed by Bar Owners Association, saying that a lawyer connected with the case visited him at his residence to talk about the case.

Ravikumar enrolled as an advocate on 12 July 1986. He was graduated in Zoology from Bishop Moore College, Mavelikkara. He obtained his Law Degree from Government Law College, Calicut. He started practice at Mavelikara court as junior of Adv.P.S Vasudevan.In 1990 he shifted his practice to High court and joined in the chambers of former Advocate General M K Damodaran,a doyen of the bar.He later started independent practice in Civil, Criminal, Service and Labour matters at various courts of Ernakulam and Kerala High Court. He was then appointed to the post of Govt Pleader, Additional Govt Pleader and Special Govt Pleader(SC/ST) in Kerala High Court. He was appointed as Additional Judge of Kerala High Court on 5 January 2009 and made permanent on 15 December 2010.

Chudalayil Thevan Ravikumar (born 6 January 1960) (Malayalam: ചുടലയിൽ തേവൻ രവികുമാർ) is a judge of the Supreme Court of India. He is former judge of the Kerala High Court.

Chudalayil Thevan Ravikumar was born on 5 January 1960 at Thazhakara small village near Mavelikara, Alappuzha District. He is the youngest son of Sri Thevan and Smt. Saraswathy. His father Sri K. O. Thevan was a bench clerk in Changanassery magistrate court.