Kerala High Court

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Seat of the High Court of Kerala

The Kerala High Court ( Malayalam കേരള ഹൈക്കോടതി ) is a higher court in India . Its jurisdiction extends over the state of Kerala and the union territory of Lakshadweep .

history

Entrance to the High Court

Before the state of Kerala was created with the States Reorganization Act on November 1, 1956, the area of ​​Kerala belonged to the two princely states of Travancore and Cochin . The Malabar Coast , however, was under direct British rule and administratively belonged to the Madras presidency . In the 19th century, the judicial organization of the two princely states came closer to that of the rest of British India. Previously, court judgments were largely based on common law by local rulers. During the reign of Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi in Travancore, at the instigation of the then British divan and regent Colonel John Munro, a judicial organization based on local district courts ( Zilla courts) was created in 1811 . In 1814 a Huzur court (court of appeal) was set up. This was replaced in 1861 by the Sadar Court, which from then on functioned as Travancore's Supreme Court. In 1881 the High Court of Travancore was created . In neighboring Cochin, also on the initiative of John Munro, two courts were set up in Trichur and Tripunithura in 1812, in Trichur and in Tripunithura , and a Huzur court as a court of appeal with three judges in Ernakulam . In 1835 there was a reorganization and the two lower courts became the Zilla courts and the Huzur court became the rajah's court of appeal. In the neighboring Madras Presidency, a fundamental reform of the judicial organization took place after the Indian Uprising of 1857 and in 1862 the Madras High Court began its work as the presidency's superior court.

After India gained independence in 1947, the Princely Union of Travancore-Cochin was formed , which became a federal state of the same name when the Indian constitution came into force in 1950. On July 7, 1949, a higher court with seat in Ernakulam was created with the High Court of Travancore-Cochin . However, the state was only granted a short period of existence and in the States Reorganization Act 1956, the new state of Kerala was formed from its territory together with the other Malayalam-speaking areas of southern India. The court in Ernakulam was given jurisdiction over all areas of Kerala and was renamed the High Court of Kerala . Its jurisdiction extended to the also in the States Reorganization Act newly formed union territories of Lakshadweep , Aminidivi and Minicoy (since 1974: Lakshadweep).

Current organization

Currently (2017), including the Chief Justice, 29 judges are permanently active at the High Court . Another 5 judges work there temporarily. The 14 district courts of Kerala and a district court in Kavaratti on Lakshadweep are subordinate to the High Court . The supreme instance is the Supreme Court of India in Delhi, the highest court in India .

For several years there has been a discussion about whether a branch ( bench ) should be set up for the High Court in Thiruvananthapuram , the capital of Kerala. Opinions are divided on this. The Kerala Lawyers Association at the High Court spoke out against it. A commission was set up in 2013 to investigate the issue more closely.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. a b Section 60 in The States Reorganization Act, 1956. November 1, 1956, accessed November 25, 2017 (excerpt from the States Reorganization Act 1956).
  2. a b c History of the High Court of Kerala. highcourtofkerala.nic.in, accessed November 24, 2017 .
  3. Hich Court of Kerala profiles. highcourtofkerala.nic.in, accessed November 24, 2017 .
  4. ^ District Court of India. (No longer available online.) Highcourtofkerala.nic.in, archived from the original on November 25, 2017 ; accessed on November 24, 2017 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / ecourts.gov.in
  5. ^ District Court, Kavaratti. (No longer available online.) Highcourtofkerala.nic.in, archived from the original on December 1, 2017 ; accessed on November 24, 2017 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / ecourts.gov.in
  6. Panel to study demand for HC Bench in Thiruvananthapuram. The Hindu, October 17, 2013, accessed November 24, 2017 .