Gauhati High Court

Last updated

Gauhati High Court
Vikramjit-Kakati-HC.jpg
Guwahati High Court Building
Gauhati High Court
26°11′29″N91°45′05″E / 26.1913°N 91.7514°E / 26.1913; 91.7514
Established5 April 1948;76 years ago (1948-04-05)
Jurisdiction Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Mizoram
LocationPrincipal Seat: Guwahati, Assam
Circuit Benches: Kohima, Aizawl & Itanagar
Coordinates 26°11′29″N91°45′05″E / 26.1913°N 91.7514°E / 26.1913; 91.7514
Composition method Presidential with confirmation of Chief Justice of India and Governor of respective state.
Authorised by Constitution of India
Appeals to Supreme Court of India
Judge term lengthmandatory retirement by age of 62
Number of positions30 (Permanent 22; Additional 8)
Website www.ghconline.gov.in
Chief Justice
Currently Vijay Bishnoi
Since5 February 2024

The Gauhati High Court was promulgated by governor general of India on 1 March 1948 after the Government of India Act 1935 was passed, establishing the high court with effect from 5 April 1948, for the then-province of Assam. It was originally known as the High Court of Assam and Nagaland, but renamed as Gauhati High Court in 1971 by the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971.

Contents

It has largest jurisdiction in terms of states, with its area covering the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Mizoram.

History

After Indian independence, the Assam Legislative Assembly adopted a resolution on 9 September 1947 that a High Court be established for the province of Assam. In exercise of power conferred by the Government of India Act 1935, the Governor General of India on 1 March 1948 promulgated the Assam High Court Order, 1948, establishing the High Court of Assam. It was inaugurated on 5 April 1948 by H. J. Kania, the chief justice of India. Sir R.F. Lodge was sworn in as the first Chief Justice of the Assam High Court on the same day. The Assam High Court initially had its sittings at Shillong but shifted to Guwahati on 14 August 1948.

Later, when Nagaland state was created on 1 December 1963, the Assam High Court was renamed as the High Court of Assam and Nagaland.

On re-organization of the northeastern region of India by the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971, the High Court of Assam and Nagaland was abolished with effect from 21 January 1972 by section 28(1)(a) of the Act. The Courts of Judicial Commissioners for Manipur and Tripura, which were functioning as high courts, were also abolished by section 30(1) of the Act. In place of these three entities, a common high court for five states, named Gauhati High Court, was established by section 28(1)(b) of the Act. This High Court was given jurisdiction over the then union territories of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram by section 32 of the Act.

After Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura got a high court, the Gauhati High Court ceased its jurisdiction in these three states.

Principal seat and benches

[1] The principal seat of the Gauhati High Court is at Guwahati in Assam. The court has 3 outlying benches. These are:

  1. The Kohima bench for Nagaland state (established on 1 December 1972)
  2. The Aizawl bench for Mizoram state (established on 5 July 1990)
  3. The Itanagar bench for Arunachal Pradesh state (established on 12 August 2000)

Former benches, now full-fledged high courts:

  1. The Imphal bench (established on 21 January 1972) (Converted to a high court in March 2013)
  2. The Agartala bench (established on 24 January 1972) (Converted to a high court in March 2013)
  3. The Shillong bench (established on 4 September 1974) (Converted to a high court in March 2013)

The Kohima bench for Nagaland state

The Kohima bench is located on the eastern slope of the Ministers' Hill in the capital city of Nagaland, Kohima. The building where the Kohima bench was earlier a hostel, which was renovated for the Kohima bench. The inauguration of the bench was on 1 December 1972, by the Honorable Mr. Justice M.C. Pathak.[ citation needed ]

The permanent judge for the state of Nagaland is Lanusungkum Jamir. [2] Elevated as Additional Judge on 22 May 2013.

The Itanagar bench for Arunachal Pradesh state

The permanent bench at Itanagar was inaugurated on 12 August 2000 by A.S. Anand at Naharlagun, which is located about 13 km. from the capital town, Itanagar. The permanent judge is Pranoy Kumar Musahary.

The Aizawl bench for Mizoram state

New Building of Aizawl Bench, Gauhati High Court. Aizawl Bench, Gauhati High Court.jpg
New Building of Aizawl Bench, Gauhati High Court.

The Aizawl permanent bench is situated at the capital city of Mizoram, Aizawl. On 5 July 1990, the Aizawl permanent bench of the Gauhati High Court was established and inaugurated by the then-chief justice of India, S.B. Mukherjee. [3] The permanent judge is M. R. Pathak. [4] Elevated as additional judge on 22 May 2013 is Michael Zothankhuma. [4]

List of chief justices

#PortraitChief justiceTenure
StartEnd
1 Leonard Stone (judge) 19471947
2 Ronald Francis Lodge 19471948
3T V Thadani19481949
4Sarjoo Prasad19491950
5 Chandreswar Prasad Sinha 19501952
6Holiram Deka19521952
7G. Mehrotra19521953
8C. S. Row Nayudu19651970
9S. K. Dutta19731973
10M. C. Pathak19751976
11M. S. Swamy19761977
12C. M. Lodha6 July 197810 March 1979
13 Baharul Islam 7 July 19791 March 1980
14 Dambarudhar Pathak 18 April 19838 August 1983
15T. S. Misra12 August 198314 November 1984
16P. C. Reddy30 September 19852 November 1986
17K. M. Lahiri19861986
18K. N. Saika13 June 19871 March 1988
19G. M. Lodha1 March 198815 March 1988
20A. S. Raghuvir6 May 198821 March 1991
21U. L. Bhat199115 December 1993
22R. K. Manisana Singh27 January 19941 February 1994
23V. K. Khanna1 February 199414 February 1997
24M. Ramakrishna18 June 199712 February 1999
25Brijesh Kumar12 February 199919 October 2000
26 N. C. Jain 20 October 20005 April 2001
27R. S. Mongia5 April 200110 June 2002
28 P. P. Naolekar 10 June 200227 August 2004
29 Binod Kumar Roy 27 August 20045 December 2005
30B. S. Reddy5 December 200512 January 2007
31 Jasti Chelameswar 12 January 200717 March 2010
32 Ramesh Surajmal Garg 17 April 201018 June 2010
33 Madan Lokur 18 June 201020 December 2011
34 Adarsh Kumar Goel 20 December 201111 October 2013
35 Abhay Manohar Sapre 11 October 201313 August 2014
36Ajit Singh5 March 20165 September 2018
37 A. S. Bopanna 29 October 201824 May 2019
38 Ajai Lamba 24 May 201920 September 2020
39 Sudhanshu Dhulia 10 January 20218 May 2022
40 Rashmin Manharbhai Chhaya 23 June 202211 January 2023
41 Sandeep Mehta 15 February 20238 November 2023
42 Vijay Bishnoi 5 February 2024Incumbent

See also

References

  1. "The Gauhati High Court – High Court of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh". Ghconline.gov.in. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  2. "Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench". Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  3. "Gauhati High Court, Aizawl Bench". e-Committee, Supreme Court of India. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Gauhati High Court, Aizawl Bench".