debarred from practising in any court of law or before any other authority in India. The
proceedings of the Supreme Court are conducted in English only. Supreme Court Rules, 2013
replacing the 1966 Rules, have been framed under Article 145 of the Constitution to regulate the
practice and procedure of the Supreme Court. Justice Ranjan Gogoi is the 46th Chief Justice of
India.
Relevant Website: www.supremecourtofindia.nic.in
High Courts
High Court stands at the head of the state’s judicial administration. There are 24 High
Courts in the country, three having jurisdiction over more than one state. Among the union
territories, Delhi alone has a High Court of its own. Other six union territories come under the
jurisdiction of different state High Courts. Each High Court comprises a Chief Justice and such
other Judges as the President may, from time to time, appoint. The Chief Justice of a High Court
is appointed by the President in consultation with the Chief Justice of India and the Governor of
the state. The procedure for appointing the High Court judges is the same except that the
recommendation for the appointment of Judges in the High Court is initiated by the Chief Justice
of the High Court concerned.
They hold office up to 62 years of age. To be eligible for appointment as a judge, one must
be a citizen of India and should have held a judicial office in India for 10 years or must have
practised as an advocate of a High Court or two or more such courts in succession for a similar
period.
Jurisdiction and Seat of High Courts
Each High Court has powers of superintendence over all courts and tribunals within its
jurisdiction. It can call for returns from such courts, make and issue general rules and prescribed
forms to regulate their practices and proceedings and determine the manner and form in which
book entries and accounts shall be kept. This table gives the seat and territorial jurisdiction of the
high courts.
Name of High Courts, their Principal Seats, Benches and their Jurisdiction
Permanent Bench and Date
Sl High Principal
Jurisdiction from which the Bench began
No. Court Seat
fuctioning
1 Allahabad Prayagraj Uttar Pradesh Lucknow (01.07.1948)
Andhra Andhra Pradesh and
2 Hyderabad -
Pradesh Telangana
Maharashtra; Goa; Nagpur (01.05.1960)
3 Bombay Mumbai Daman and Diu Panaji (01.07.1948)
Dadra and Nagar Haveli Aurangabad (27.08.1984)
West Bengal and
Circuit Bench Jalpaiguri (yet to
4 Calcutta Kolkata Andaman and Nicobar
begin functioning)
Islands