Ch 16 – High Courts & Subordinate Courts

📖 High Court — General Facts

Total HCs

Multi-State HCs

Retirement Age

214–232

Articles

Part VI · Articles 214–232
Current Strength → 25 High Courts
7 High Courts — cover more than one State / UT
Delhi & J&K → UTs with their own separate High Court
Court of Record Art 215

⚠ Exam Trap

SC retirement age = 65 years. HC retirement age = 62 years. HC judges 3 saal pehle retire ho jaate hain. Ye sabse common confusion hai!

💡 Quick Recall — For BPSC

Patna High Court — Bihar ka High Court. Established 1916. Principal Bench: Patna. Ye Bihar ke liye must-know hai!

📋 Key Articles — High Court

Article	Subject
214	Establishment of High Court in each State
215	HC as Court of Record
216	Constitution of High Court
217	Appointment & Qualifications of HC Judges
219	Oath or Affirmation
222	Transfer of HC Judges
225	Jurisdiction of HC
226	Writ Jurisdiction (wider than SC)
227	Superintendence over Subordinate Courts
228	Transfer of certain cases to HC
231	One HC for two or more States (7th CAA)
233	Subordinate Courts — District Judge appointment

✅ Qualifications for HC Judge

Citizen of India
10 years as an Advocate in High Court
Has held a Judicial office in India for at least 10 years

⚠ Exam Trap

SC Judge qualification: HC Judge for 5 years OR HC Advocate for 10 years. HC Judge qualification: HC Advocate for 10 years OR Judicial office for 10 years. Numbers differ!

📋 Conditions of Office

Feature	Details
Appointment	By President — in consultation with CJI + Governor
Tenure	Until 62 years of age
Resignation	To the President
Oath	Administered by Governor
Removal	By President on recommendation of Parliament (same as SC)
Strength	1 CJ + Other Judges — number decided by President
Acting CJ	Appointed by President (in CJ's absence)

⚠ Exam Trap

HC judge ka oath → Governor dilwata hai (CJI nahi, President nahi). SC judge ka oath → President dilwata hai. Ye difference yaad karo — exam mein guarantee aata hai!

💰 Salary & Allowances

HC Chief Justice

₹2.5 L

per month

HC Other Judges

₹2.25 L

per month

Salary → Paid from Consolidated Fund of State
Pension → Paid from Consolidated Fund of India

⚠ Exam Trap

HC judge ki salary = CF of State lekin pension = CF of India. SC judge ki salary + pension — dono CF of India se. Salary aur pension ka source alag hai HC ke liye!

💡 Quick Recall — Salary Ladder

SC CJI (₹2.8L) > SC Judge (₹2.5L) = HC CJI (₹2.5L) > HC Judge (₹2.25L). SC Judge aur HC CJI ki salary same hai — ₹2.5 Lakh!

🏛️ Powers & Jurisdiction of High Court

1. Original Jurisdiction

✦ Enforcement of Fundamental Rights
✦ Transfer of cases relating to interpretation of Constitution from Subordinate Courts
✦ Election disputes of Parliament / State Legislature

2. Writ Jurisdiction Art. 226

✦ Part of the Basic Structure (Chandra Kumar Case — SC)
✦ Wider than SC's writ jurisdiction
✦ HC = Fundamental Rights + Other Legal Rights
✦ SC = Only Fundamental Rights (Art. 32)

3. Appellate Jurisdiction

✦ Over both Civil & Criminal matters
✦ Confirmation of death sentence — even if no appeal is made
✦ HC must confirm before death penalty can be executed

4. Court of Record Art. 215

✦ Power of Judicial Review
✦ Superintendence over all Subordinate Courts (Art. 227)

⚠️ Jurisdiction Key Distinctions

⚠ Exam Trap — Art. 226 vs Art. 32

Art. 226 (HC) — Writs for FR + Legal Rights (wider). Art. 32 (SC) — Writs ONLY for FR. HC ki jurisdiction wider hai, lekin Art. 32 khud ek FR hai — isliye SC writ power more fundamental hai!

⚠ Exam Trap — Death Sentence Confirmation

HC ko death sentence confirm karna padta hai — even if criminal ne appeal nahi ki. Ye mandatory hai. HC ke bina death sentence execute nahi ho sakta.

⚠ Exam Trap — Chandra Kumar Case

Chandra Kumar Case — HC ki Writ Jurisdiction (Art. 226) ko Basic Structure ka part kaha gaya. Matlab Parliament bhi Art. 226 ko khatam nahi kar sakti!

💡 Quick Recall — Election Disputes

MP/MLA ki election disputes → HC mein file hoti hain. HC ka decision SC mein appeal ho sakta hai. Ye Art. 329 ke under hai.

🗺️ HC Jurisdiction over Union Territories

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

→ Calcutta High Court

Dadra & Nagar Haveli + Daman & Diu

→ Bombay High Court

Lakshadweep

→ Kerala High Court (Kochi)

Puducherry

→ Madras High Court (Tamil Nadu)

Delhi (NCT)

→ Delhi High Court (own)

Jammu & Kashmir + Ladakh

→ J&K & Ladakh HC (own)

Chandigarh

→ Punjab & Haryana High Court

⚠ Exam Trap

Lakshadweep → Kerala HC (Kochi). Puducherry → Madras HC. Andaman → Calcutta HC. Ye three pairs most commonly exam mein aate hain!

💡 Quick Recall

UTs with own HC: Delhi aur J&K. Baaki sab UTs ke liye adjacent states ke HCs cover karte hain.

🔁 Supreme Court vs High Court — Full Comparison

Feature	🔵 Supreme Court	🟢 High Court
Constitutional Provision	Part V (Art. 124–147)	Part VI (Art. 214–232)
Appointment by	President	President
Consultation	Collegium System	CJI + Governor
Oath by	President	Governor
Retirement Age	65 years	62 years
Resignation to	President	President
CJ Salary	₹2.8 Lakh/month	₹2.5 Lakh/month
Judge Salary	₹2.5 Lakh/month	₹2.25 Lakh/month
Salary Source	CF of India	CF of State
Pension Source	CF of India	CF of India
Writ Jurisdiction	Only FR (Art. 32)	FR + Legal Rights (Art. 226)
Original Jurisdiction	Centre-State disputes	FR, Election disputes
HC Qualification	HC Judge 5 yrs / HC Advocate 10 yrs	HC Advocate 10 yrs / Judicial Office 10 yrs
Court of Record	Art. 129 ✅	Art. 215 ✅
Decisions Binding	All courts (Art. 141)	Subordinate courts only

⚠ Exam Trap — 3 Key Differences

1. Oath: SC = President, HC = Governor · 2. Retirement: SC = 65, HC = 62 · 3. Salary source: SC = CF of India, HC salary = CF of State (but pension = CF of India). Ye teen pooche jaate hain!

🏢 Subordinate Courts (Art. 233–237)

District Judge → Appointment by Governor In consultation with High Court

Qualifications — District Judge

At least 7 years as an advocate in any court
Must NOT be in government service (Centre or State)
Recommendation for appointment by the High Court

⚠ Exam Trap

District Judge appoint karta hai → Governor (President nahi). Lekin consultation → High Court se. HC recommend karta hai, Governor appoint karta hai.

📊 Hierarchy of Subordinate Courts

🔝

High Court

↓

District & Sessions Court

Civil Side

▸

District Judge

▸

Subordinate / Civil Judge

▸

Munsif / Junior Civil Judge

Criminal Side

▸

Chief Judicial Magistrate

▸

Judicial Magistrate First Class

▸

Judicial Magistrate Second Class

Revenue Courts

▸

Revenue Board → Commissioner → Collector → Tehsildar → Naib Tehsildar

⭐ Alternative & Special Courts

1. Gram Nyayalayas (Village Courts)

Settlement of small disputes at village level. Purpose → Decentralization of Justice.

Formation: By State Government in consultation with respective High Court

2. Lok Adalat (People's Court)

Concept of quick and low-cost justice. Cases settled by mutual consent — award is final & binding.

First Lok Adalat: 6th October 1985 (Delhi) · Chaired by Justice P.N. Bhagwati

3. Fast-Track Courts

For speedy disposal of criminal cases, especially sensitive matters.

Example: POCSO Courts (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences)

4. Mobile Courts — "Justice on Wheels"

Justice by reaching people directly. Courts travel to villages/remote areas.

1st Mobile Court: Mewat, Haryana (2007) · Credit: Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

5. Special Purpose Courts

Consumer Courts — Consumer disputes
National Green Tribunal (NGT) — Environment Protection (est. 2010)
Juvenile Courts — Child & Juvenile Justice · 3-member Board (1 Psychologist + 2 Social Workers)
Court Martial — Military matters

⚠ Exam Trap

Lok Adalat — 1985, Justice P.N. Bhagwati. Award is deemed decree of civil court — binding on both parties, no appeal in court. NGT established 2010, not a constitutional body. Mobile Courts — APJ Abdul Kalam ka initiative.

📜 All 25 High Courts of India

High Court	Est.	Jurisdiction	Principal Bench	Additional Benches
Madras	1862	Tamil Nadu, Puducherry	Chennai	Madurai
Calcutta	1862	West Bengal, A&N Islands	Kolkata	Port Blair, Jalpaiguri
Bombay	1862	Maharashtra, Goa, D&NH, D&D	Mumbai	Nagpur, Panaji, Aurangabad
Allahabad	1866	Uttar Pradesh	Prayagraj	Lucknow
Karnataka	1884	Karnataka	Bengaluru	Hubballi, Gulbarga
Guwahati	1948	Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal	Guwahati	Kohima, Itanagar, Aizawl
Orissa	1948	Odisha	Cuttack	—
Rajasthan	1949	Rajasthan	Jodhpur	Jaipur
J&K and Ladakh	1928	J&K, Ladakh	Srinagar	Jammu
Patna ⭐	1916	Bihar	Patna	—
Madhya Pradesh	1956	Madhya Pradesh	Jabalpur	Indore, Gwalior
Punjab & Haryana	1966	Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh	Chandigarh	—
Kerala	1956	Kerala, Lakshadweep	Kochi (Ernakulam)	—
Gujarat	1960	Gujarat	Ahmedabad	—
Delhi	1966	Delhi (NCT)	New Delhi	—
Himachal Pradesh	1971	Himachal Pradesh	Shimla	—
Sikkim	1975	Sikkim	Gangtok	—
Chhattisgarh	2000	Chhattisgarh	Bilaspur	—
Uttarakhand	2000	Uttarakhand	Nainital	—
Jharkhand	2000	Jharkhand	Ranchi	—
Meghalaya	2013	Meghalaya	Shillong	—
Manipur	2013	Manipur	Imphal	—
Tripura	2013	Tripura	Agartala	—
Telangana	2019	Telangana	Hyderabad	—
Andhra Pradesh	2019	Andhra Pradesh	Amaravati	—

💡 Quick Recall — Key Facts

⭐ Oldest 3 HCs: Madras, Calcutta, Bombay (all 1862) · Patna HC (1916) — Bihar ka HC · Newest HCs: Telangana & AP (both 2019) · Allahabad HC — largest HC (most judges) — Principal Bench at Prayagraj

📋 Key Articles — High Courts & Subordinate Courts

Article	Subject
214	HC in every State
215	HC as Court of Record
216	Constitution of HC
217	Appointment & Qualifications of HC Judges
219	Oath administered by Governor
222	Transfer of HC Judges
225	Jurisdiction of HC (existing)
226	Writ Jurisdiction (FR + Legal Rights)
227	Superintendence of HC over Subordinate Courts
228	Transfer of cases from Subordinate Court to HC
231	One HC for two or more States (7th CAA)
233	District Judge appointment by Governor
234	Recruitment of persons other than District Judges
235	Control of HC over Subordinate Courts
237	Application of provisions to Magistrates

💡 Quick Recall — Must Know Articles

Art. 214 (HC in each state) · Art. 226 (Writ — wider than SC) · Art. 227 (Superintendence over lower courts) · Art. 233 (District Judge) — ye 4 sabse important hain!

⚖️ High Courts & Subordinate Courts