| Cyriac Joseph | |
| Office: | Acting Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of India |
| Termstart: | 13 May 2015 |
| Termend: | 28 Jan 2017 |
| Office2: | Member of the National Human Rights Commission of India |
| Termstart2: | 27 May 2013 |
| Termend2: | 12 May 2015 |
| Office3: | Judge of the Supreme Court of India |
| Termstart3: | 7 July 2008 |
| Termend3: | 27 January 2012 |
| Office4: | Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka |
| Term Start4: | 7 January 2006 |
| Term End4: | 6 July 2008 |
| Office5: | Chief Justice of the High Court of Uttarakhand |
| Term Start5: | 20 March 2005 |
| Term End5: | 6 January 2006 |
| Office6: | Judge of the High Court of Kerala |
| Term Start6: | 24 September 2001 |
| Term End6: | 19 March 2005 |
| Office7: | Judge of the High Court of Delhi |
| Term Start7: | 5 August 1994 |
| Term End7: | 23 September 2001 |
| Office8: | Judge of the High Court of Kerala |
| Term Start8: | 6 July 1994 |
| Term End8: | 4 August 1994 |
| Office9: | Additional Advocate General, State of Kerala |
| Term Start9: | 6 July 1991 |
| Term End9: | 5 July 1994 |
| Education: | B.Sc. & B.L. |
| Alma Mater: | Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram St. Berchmans College Changanacherry |
| Birth Date: | 28 January 1947 |
| Birth Place: | Kaipuzha, Kottayam |
| Spouse: | Smt. Biby |
| Children: | Four |
Cyriac Joseph (born 28 January 1947) was a judge of the Supreme Court of India from 7 July 2008 to 27 January 2012.[1] [2] [3]
Joseph was born in Kaipuzha, Kottayam Kerala on 28 January 1947. He completed his education from Kaipuzha St. Margarette's U.P.School, Kaipuzha St. George's High School, Palai St Thomas College, St. Berchmans College Changanacherry and Trivandrum Government Law College.[3] [4] His marriage was held in Collective Wedding (Samooha vivaham) conducted by Knanaya Community, in which he was a leader, to give message to community to reduce marriage extravagances.
He started his career in advocacy on 12 October 1968 and started practicing in District Court Kottayam and then shifted to Kerala High Court at Ernakulam. He served as Government Pleader in Kerala High Court from 1976 to 1979, as Senior Government Pleader in Kerala High Court from 1979 to 1987, as Additional Advocate General of Kerala State from 6 July 1991 to 5 July 1994. He was appointed permanent judge of Kerala High Court on 6 July 1994. Thereafter, on 5 August 1994 he has been transferred to Delhi High Court and transferred back to Kerala High Court on 24 September 2001. He was the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court and Karnataka High Court.[3]
He became a judge of Supreme Court of India on 7 July 2008 and served until 27 January 2012.[3] [4] After retirement, he was supposed to have been nominated as the Chairman of the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT). That appointment was put on hold following Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal's reservations about the appointment since the judge had been criticised for his style of functioning by an intelligence agency of the government.[5] Subsequently, the government has been trying to appoint him as a member of the National Human Rights Commission but the opposition BJP has been staunchly opposed to the idea.[6] The Sunday Guardian reported that Justice Joseph delivered only 10 judgements during his tenure of 1300 days.[7]