Justice Thomas' appointment comes in the wake of elevation of incumbent Chief Justice SV Bhatti to the Supreme Court.

“In exercise of the power conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Alexander Thomas, senior most Judge of the Kerala High Court, to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of that High Court with effect from the date Shri Justice S Venkatanarayana Bhatti relinquishes the charge as Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court consequent upon his appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India,” the notification said.

Early Life -

Justice Thomas done his graduation from University College Thiruvananthapuram, and did his post-graduation in Physics from Cochin University of Science and Technology, secured law degree from the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, and was admitted to the bar in 1988.

Justice Thomas attended the academic session at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS) London and the Department of Law, University of London.

He served as a government pleader (1996-1998) and senior government pleader (1998-2001) in High Court of Kerala and was the standing counsel for the Medical Council of India and the Dental Council of India.

He was appointed additional judge of the Kerala High Court on January 23, 2014 and was made a permanent judge on March 10, 2016.