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List of High Courts in India 2023

Ananya Gupta August 31, 2023 11:16 8396 0

The High Court holds the supreme judicial authority within a state and is considered the second-highest judicial body in the country after the Supreme Court of India. Presently, there are 25 High Courts distributed across various states in India.

List of High Courts in India 2023

High Courts in India

The apex judicial authority within each state is the High Court. According to Article 214 of the Indian Constitution, every state in India to have its own High Court. Article 231mentions that if it’s deemed necessary, the Parliament has the power to establish a High Court for two or more states as well. It’s crucial for UPSC Exam candidates to be aware of the count of High Courts in India.

India has a total of 25 High Courts, with six of them exercising jurisdiction over more than one state or union territory. Delhi, as a Union Territory, maintains its own independent High Court. Each High Court is consist of a Chief Justice and other judges appointed by the President of India.

List of High Courts in India

There are a total of 25 High Courts in India. The provided list enumerates the High Courts for each state and union territory along with their respective establishment years:

                                        List of High Courts in India
Year Name Territorial Jurisdiction Seat & Bench
1862 Bombay Maharashtra
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman DiuGoa
Seat: Mumbai
Bench: Panaji, Aurangabad, and Nagpur
1862 Kolkata West Bengal
Andaman & Nicobar islands
Seat: Kolkata
Bench: Port Blair
1862 Madras Tamil Nadu
Pondicherry
Seat: Chennai
Bench: Madurai
1866 Allahabad Uttar Pradesh Seat: Allahabad
Bench: Lucknow
1884 Karnataka Karnataka Seat: Bengaluru
Bench: Dharwad and Gulbarga
1916 Patna Bihar Patna
1948 Guwahati Assam
Nagaland Mizoram Arunachal Pradesh
Seat: Guwahati
Bench: Kohima, Aizawl, and Itanagar
1949 Odisha Odisha Cuttack
1949 Rajasthan Rajasthan Seat: Jodhpur
Bench: Jaipur
1956 Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Seat: Jabalpur
Bench: Gwalior and Indore
1958 Kerala Kerala & Lakshadweep Ernakulam
1960 Gujarat Gujarat Ahmedabad
1966 Delhi Delhi Delhi
1971 Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh Shimla
1975 Punjab & Haryana Punjab, Haryana & Chandigarh Chandigarh
1975 Sikkim Sikkim Gangtok
2000 Chattisgarh Chattisgarh Bilaspur
2000 Uttarakhand Uttarakhand Nainital
2000 Jharkhand Jharkhand Ranchi
2013 Tripura Tripura Agartala
2013 Manipur Manipur Imphal
2013 Meghalaya Meghalaya Shillong
2019 Telangana Telangana Hyderabad
2019 Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Amravati
2019 Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh (NOTE:  Jammu & Kashmir High Court, originally established in 1928, underwent changes after the division of Jammu & Kashmir into two Union Territories. As a result, there is now a shared High Court serving both Union Territories ). Jammu and Kashmir
Ladakh

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Appointment of the Judges

The President appoints the Chief Justice of a High Court after consulting with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the State’s Governor. Regarding the rest of the judges, their appointments are made in agreement between the President, Governor, and the Chief Justice of the respective High Court.

Qualifications and Tenure of the Judges

To become eligible for the position of a Judge in a High Court, certain conditions must be met:

  • He/ She is a Citizen of India.
  • They need to have practiced as an advocate in one or multiple Indian High Courts or served as a judge in lower courts within India for a minimum of 10 years.

Tenure:

Initially, the age of retirement for High Court judges was set at 60. However, through the 15th amendment of the Constitution in 1963, this age was extended to 62.

Removal of the Judges

The removal of judges of a High Court is a significant process that ensures the integrity and accountability of the judiciary. Here’s an explanation of how the removal of High Court judges works in India:

Grounds for Removal: A judge of a High Court can be removed from office on the grounds of “proved misbehavior or incapacity.” This provision exists to maintain the independence and credibility of the judiciary and to address instances where a judge’s conduct or performance falls below the expected standards.

Initiation of Removal: The process of removal can be initiated by the President of India. However, the actual initiation typically happens through a motion introduced in either the Lok Sabha (House of the People) or the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) – the two houses of the Parliament. This motion should be supported by a specific number of members.

Investigation: If such a motion is accepted, an investigation committee is constituted. This committee usually consists of three members: a judge of the Supreme Court, a chief justice of a High Court, and a distinguished jurist. They investigate the allegations against the judge.

Judicial Inquiry: The inquiry process resembles a trial, where the judge facing allegations is given the opportunity to present their case, submit evidence, and defend themselves against the charges. The committee examines witnesses and gathers relevant information to make an informed decision.

Report and Parliamentary Approval: After the inquiry, the committee submits a detailed report to the Parliament. Both houses review the report and the evidence presented. For a judge’s removal to proceed, the motion requires an absolute majority (more than 50% of the total members) and a 2/3rd majority of the members present and voting in each house, voting separately.

Presidential Approval: Once both houses approve the motion, it is presented to the President for final approval. If the President gives assent, the judge is removed from office. This step is crucial to ensure that the process remains transparent, just, and fair.

The removal process is designed to strike a balance between preserving the independence of the judiciary and holding judges accountable for their actions. It ensures that a judge’s removal is not arbitrary and requires a substantial level of evidence and legislative approval, reflecting the importance of judicial integrity in a democratic society.

Salary of High Court Judge

The Chief Justice of a High Court receives a monthly salary of Rs. 280,000, while the other judges are paid Rs. 250,000 per month.

Powers and Functions of the High Court

The High Court holds significant powers and performs important functions within its jurisdiction. Here’s an overview:

  • Every High Court has the authority to release writs like habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto, and certiorari. These writs are essential for upholding Fundamental Rights or achieving other legal aims.
  • High Courts hold supervisory power over all courts and tribunals within the regions under their jurisdiction. This oversight helps maintain consistency and fairness in the judicial process.
  • High Courts can transfer cases from lower courts, which aids in ensuring impartial and efficient trials.
  • Control over subordinate courts rests with High Courts, allowing them to guide and manage these courts to maintain proper judicial standards.
  • With original and appellate jurisdiction in both civil and criminal matters, High Courts handle cases as stipulated by the Codes of Civil and Criminal Procedure and the Letters of Patent. This dual jurisdiction contributes to a balanced judicial process.

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Tribunal: A tribunal is a body, individual, or institution vested with the authority to pass judgments, resolve disputes, or make decisions, regardless of whether it is referred to as a tribunal in its official name.

Permanent Bench: A permanent bench consists of one or more High Court Judges who convene at a specific location throughout the year. This location is different from the High Court’s main seat.

Circuit Bench: Circuit Benches are temporary courts that operate for a limited period, usually a few months each year. They handle proceedings in designated regions.

Division Bench: In a division bench, a case is heard and evaluated by a minimum of two judges. This ensures diverse perspectives and thorough consideration of legal matters.

Full Bench: A full bench is composed of three or more judges nominated by the Chief Justice. It convenes for comprehensive deliberation on complex or significant legal issues.

Which is the Newest High Court of India?

The Andhra Pradesh High Court was established in 2019 through a Presidential order as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014.

The Jammu & Kashmir High Court dates back to 1928 when it was originally established. Following the division of Jammu & Kashmir into two separate Union Territories – Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh – the two territories now share a single common high court. Therefore, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court is not the newest one, as it existed since 1928.

High Court of India Facts for UPSC

High Courts in India are important judicial bodies within each state or Union Territory. They hold a significant position as the top courts for hearing appeals and handling legal matters that have been decided by lower courts.

  • The Chief Justice of every High Court is joined by other judges appointed by the President.
  • At present, there are a total of 25 High Courts operating in India.
  • A joint High Court for the states of Punjab and Haryana is situated in Chandigarh.
  • The Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act of 2014 came into effect on January 1st, 2019, leading to the establishment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
  • Founded in 1862, the Calcutta High Court holds the distinction of being the nation’s first High Court.
  • Within160 judges, the Allahabad High Court is the one with the highest number of judges.
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List of High Courts in India : FAQs

The 25th High Court of India is the Andhra Pradesh High Court, situated in the capital city of Amravati, Andhra Pradesh. This High Court was established following the division of Andhra Pradesh into Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It plays a significant role in providing judicial oversight and upholding the rule of law in the state.

The Calcutta High Court, established in 1862, holds the distinction of being the first High Court in India. It was set up during the British colonial period and continues to function as a pivotal institution in the Indian judicial system.

The total number of High Courts in India are 25.

Allahabad High Court had the highest number of judges among all High Courts in India, with around 160 judges.

The first Chief Justice of India was Harilal Jekisundas Kania. He served as the Chief Justice from 1950, when the Supreme Court of India was established, until 1951.
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