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{{short description|Indian judge}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = Justice
| image = Justice K. T. Thomas.jpg
| name = K. T. Thomas
| imagesize =
| caption = Thomas in 2018
| office = Judge of the [[Supreme Court of India]]
| termstart = 29 March 1996
| termend = 29 January 2002
| office2 = Judge of the [[Kerala High Court]]
| termstart2 = 12 August 1985
| termend2 = 26 March 1996
| office3 = [[District courts of India|District and Sessions Judge]]
| termstart3 = 1977
| termend3 = 1985
| nominator =
| appointer =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| alma_mater =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1937|01|30}}
| birth_place = Kottayam, [[Travancore]], [[British Raj]]
| citizenship = [[India]]n
| nationality =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse =
| awards = [[Padma Bhushan]] (2007)
}}
{{Indian name|Thomas|Kallupurackal Thomas}}'''Kallupurackal Thomas Thomas''' (born 30 January 1937) is an Indian former judge who served on the [[Supreme Court of India]] and is known for his strong opinions on Indian socio-political matters. He was awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]] by the Indian government in 2007 for services in the field of social affairs.<ref name=award>{{cite web |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?233715 |title=Padma Awards 2007 |publisher=Outlookindia.com |access-date=11 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140505191311/http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?233715 |archive-date=5 May 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Biography==
K. T. Thomas was born in [[Kottayam district]] on 30 January 1937. After schooling at Baker Memorial School, he completed his Pre-University course from [[CMS College Kottayam]] and B.A. at [[St. Albert's College|St. Albert's College, Ernakulam]] where he served as the College Union Chairman. He studied law at Madras Law College.<ref name="supremecourtcaselaw.com">[http://supremecourtcaselaw.com/jus_kthomas.htm Justice K.T. Thomas]</ref> He enrolled as an advocate in 1960 and started his career in Kottayam as a junior advocate to Joseph Maliakal, a leading lawyer of those days. Soon, he set up his private practice at District Court, Kottayam and later, at the High Court of Kerala. In 1977, he was directly selected as District and Sessions Judge, securing first rank in the selection tests. He was promoted as a Judge of the [[High Court of Kerala]] in 1985 and served as the Acting Chief Justice in 1995. In 1996, he was appointed as a Judge of the [[Supreme Court of India]].<ref name="supremecourtcaselaw.com"/> During his practice as an advocate, he led an Indian delegation to attend the World Conference on Peace held at Texas, USA in 1976. He also served as Chairman of one of the Commissions set up in the World Conference.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://supremecourtofindia.nic.in/judges/bio/93_ktthomas.htm |title=Former Judges |publisher=Supreme Court of India |access-date=11 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708030540/http://supremecourtofindia.nic.in/judges/bio/93_ktthomas.htm |archive-date=8 July 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Thomas retired from service in 2002 and lives at Muttambalam in Kottayam district. His autobiography, ''Honeybees of Solomon'', published in 2008, is an account of his judicial service of 25 years,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gyanbooks.com/index.php?p=sr&Uc=9788121209663 |title=Honeybees of Solomon Justice K.T. Thomas 9788121209663 |publisher=gyanbooks.com |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref> which has since been published in Malayalam in the name ''Solomontae Theneechakal''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/article112572.ece?service=print |title=Book by Justice K T Thomas released |publisher=Newindianexpress.com |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref>
His son, Justice Bechu Kurien, who was one of the youngest to be a designated Senior Advocate of the Kerala High Court was sworn in as an Additional Judge of the Kerala High Court in March 2020.

==Notable judgement==
Justice Thomas presided over the Supreme Court bench that confirmed the death sentence in the [[Rajiv Gandhi]] assassination case.<ref>{{cite web|author=On |url=http://www.livelaw.in/justice-speaking-bhullar-case-is-not-rarest-of-rare-says-justice-k-t-thomas |title=Justice Speaking: Capital punishment in India is "judge centric", says Justice K T Thomas | Live Law |publisher=Livelaw.in |date=1 June 2013 |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref>

==Political positions==
Justice Thomas is very vocal in expressing his views.
* His recommendations on the fee structure for professional education in [[Kerala]] at unaided institutions also drew opposition from the institution owners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/edu/2004/06/01/stories/2004060100030100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040628040456/http://www.hindu.com/edu/2004/06/01/stories/2004060100030100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 June 2004 |title=Fee structure: stirring up a hornets' nest |date=1 June 2004 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref>
* In August 2011, he made a public speech where he exonerated [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh|RSS]] on the assassination of [[Mahatma Gandhi]]<ref>{{YouTube|l49bTkCZqmw|video of the speech}}</ref> which generated heated public debate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cmpaul.wordpress.com/2011/08/14/justice-k-t-thomas-must-know-the-truth-of-the-rss |title=Justice K T Thomas must know the truth of the RSS | NewsGrab |publisher=Cmpaul.wordpress.com |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref>
* His opposition to the Communal and Targeted Violence bill also created a stir. He termed the Bill to be divisive and against the [[Constitution of India|constitution of India]].<ref>{{cite web|last=India |first=Karsevak |url=http://karsevakindia.blogspot.ae/2011/10/justice-kt-thomas-opposes-communal.html |title=Karsevak India: Justice KT Thomas opposes Communal & Targeted violence bill, Terms it 'Divisive' |publisher=Karsevakindia.blogspot.ae |date=25 October 2011 |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref>
* Though Justice Thomas wrote a dissenting note on the report of the Empowered Committee regarding the maintenance of the water level at [[Mullaperiyar dam]], his concurrence with the report stating that the dam was safe raised criticism in his home state of [[Kerala]].<ref>{{cite web|author=J. Venkatesan |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/mullaperiyar-dam-structurally-hydrologically-safe-panel/article3353151.ece |title=Mullaperiyar dam structurally & hydrologically safe: panel |work=The Hindu|date=25 April 2012 |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref>
* In the [[Rajiv Gandhi|Rajiv Gandhi assassination case]], he opined in 2013 that the three accused sentenced to death should be spared from capital punishment due to the delay of 23 years in carrying out the punishment.<ref name="livelaw1">{{cite web|author=On |url=http://www.livelaw.in/justice-speaking-bhullar-case-is-not-rarest-of-rare-says-justice-k-t-thomas/ |title=Justice Speaking: Capital punishment in India is "judge centric", says Justice K T Thomas | Live Law |publisher=Livelaw.in |date=1 June 2013 |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref>
* In March 2014, Thomas declined the offer of the [[Government of India]] to head the selection committee of [[Lokpal]] stating the "recommendations of the search committee are not binding on the selection committee. Therefore, the work of the search committee can as well be done by the selection committee itself."<ref>{{cite web|author=J. Venkatesan |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kt-thomas-refuses-to-head-lokpal-search-panel/article5746583.ece |title=K.T. Thomas refuses to head Lokpal search panel |work=The Hindu|date=3 March 2014 |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref>
* Another matter of public interest was his letter to the [[Chief Justice of India]] on allegations raised by Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave regarding the disposal of a 12-year-old land allotment case by a two-judge bench headed by Justice [[C.K. Prasad]], which was actually listed before another three Judge Bench.<ref>{{cite web|author=V.K. Joy |url=http://joyvarocky.blogspot.ae/2014/03/justice-k-t-thomas-writes-to-cji.html |title=Kerala Catholic Community കേരളത്തിലെ കത്തോലിക്കാസമൂഹം: Justice K T Thomas writes to CJI seeking action on Dushyant Dave's Letter |publisher=Joyvarocky.blogspot.ae |date=23 March 2014 |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref>

==Awards==
* [[Padma Bhushan]] Award by Government of India, 2007.<ref name=award/>

==Positions held==
* District and Sessions Judge, Kottayam – 1977
* Additional District and Sessions Judge, Calicut – 1979
* Principal District and Sessions Judge, Calicut – 1981
* Additional Justice, High Court of Kerala – 1985
* Permanent Justice, High Court of Kerala – 1986
* Acting Chief Justice, High Court of Kerala – 1995
* Justice, Supreme Court of India – 1996
* Chairman – '''Justice K. T. Thomas Committee''' on Unaided professional colleges<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.old.kerala.gov.in/dept_highedu/committee.htm |title=officialwebsite of kerala.gov.in |publisher=Old.kerala.gov.in |access-date=11 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140418100644/http://www.old.kerala.gov.in/dept_highedu/committee.htm |archive-date=18 April 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> – 2003
* Chairman of the '''Police Reforms Monitoring Committee''' constituted by the Supreme Court<ref name="livelaw1"/>
* Chairman of the '''School Review Commission''' to review the functioning of National Law School of India University, Bangalore<ref name="livelaw1"/>
Mukhyarakshaadhikaary of Sevabharathy(A part of RSS) KOTTAYAM.<ref name="livelaw1"/>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140505191311/http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?233715 News on Padma bhushan award]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140708030540/http://supremecourtofindia.nic.in/judges/bio/93_ktthomas.htm Profile on the Supreme Court of India web site]
* [http://www.livelaw.in/remembering-keshavananda-bharathi-case-41st-birth-day-justice-k-t-thomas on Parliament's use of amending powers]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140418100644/http://www.old.kerala.gov.in/dept_highedu/committee.htm Justice K T Thomas Committee]
* [http://blackkalai.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/%E2%80%98death-penalty-is-nothing-but-brutal-murder-by-state%E2%80%99-k-t-thomas Opinion on Death penalty]
* [http://www.madhyamam.com/en/node/9436 on Rajiv Gandhi assassination case]
* [http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/justice-kt-thomas-letter-to-prime-minister-s-office-on-opting-out-of-lokpal-search-panel-490672 Letter to Prime Minister on Lokpal]
* {{YouTube|l49bTkCZqmw|Speech on RSS}}
* [http://www.peoplepolicemovement.com/commitee.html Final Report – People's Police Movement]
* {{YouTube|GYvXSqlDkwE|Indiavision interview}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book
| url = http://www.gyanbooks.com/index.php?p=sr&Uc=9788121209663
| title = Honeybees of Solomon
| author = K. T. Thomas
| year = 2008
| publisher = Gyan Books
| isbn = 978-8121209663
}}
* {{cite book
| url = http://onlinestore.dcbooks.com/books/solomantae-theneechakal
| title = Solomontae Theneechakal
| author = K. T. Thomas
| year = 2012
| publisher = DC Books
| isbn = 9788126422449
}}

{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2000–09}}
{{Padma Award winners of Kerala}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, K. T.}}
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian Christians]]
[[Category:Saint Thomas Christians]]
[[Category:Judges of the Kerala High Court]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in public affairs]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian lawyers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educational theorists]]
[[Category:Scientists from Kottayam]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian judges]]
[[Category:CMS College Kottayam alumni]]
[[Category:Justices of the Supreme Court of India]]
[[Category:Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi]]

K. T. Thomas (judge) - Revision history

Bot at 14:50, 8 December 2022