The State Judiciary The High Courts — Important Questions

Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court, located in Kolkata, has jurisdiction over West Bengal and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Madras High Court serves Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Delhi High Court serves only Delhi, and Bombay High Court serves Maharashtra, Goa, and the union territories of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu. This shows how some High Courts serve both states and union territories.

State revenue and Fundamental Rights cases

High Courts have original jurisdiction in matters relating to state revenue collection and cases involving Fundamental Rights, divorce, wills, and marriage laws. They don't have original jurisdiction in all criminal or civil cases - most of these start in subordinate courts and come to High Courts through appeals. Property disputes usually start in lower courts unless they involve Fundamental Rights violations.

President removes on Parliament's joint address

High Court judges can only be removed by the President upon a joint address by both Houses of Parliament, passed by a majority of total membership and two-thirds of members present and voting. This is the same difficult procedure as for Supreme Court judges, ensuring judicial independence. The Governor, Chief Justice of India, or Chief Minister cannot remove judges independently - this protects judges from political pressure.

Judicial Review

The power of Judicial Review allows High Courts to examine state laws, executive orders, and ordinances to determine if they are consistent with the Constitution. If found unconstitutional, they can declare them null and void. Administrative power deals with court management, appellate jurisdiction handles appeals, and advisory jurisdiction provides legal advice - none of these specifically address constitutional review of laws.