Courts & jurisdiction
A connected national system with different legal responsibilities.
Includes all 25 High Courts and an overview of court levels, principal tribunals and public services. Court jurisdiction, filing requirements and legal provisions should be checked in official records. This chapter explains institutions rather than individual cases.
Explore this topic in the interactive atlas →Supreme Court of India
The apex court, with constitutional, appellate and advisory functions.
Supreme Court · jurisdiction ↗- Original jurisdiction includes specified disputes between governments.
- Article 32 concerns Fundamental Rights; Article 136 provides special-leave jurisdiction.
High Courts
Constitutional courts for a state or group of states and territories.
Supreme Court · constitutional framework ↗- Article 226 provides writ jurisdiction; Article 227 concerns superintendence over courts and tribunals.
District and Sessions Courts
Principal civil and criminal courts at district level.
Supreme Court · constitutional framework ↗- A District and Sessions Judge exercises the respective civil and criminal roles.
Civil courts
Subordinate courts deal with civil disputes under applicable jurisdiction rules.
Supreme Court · constitutional framework ↗- Names and pecuniary jurisdiction differ between states.
Magistrates’ courts
Courts handling criminal proceedings within statutory powers.
Supreme Court · constitutional framework ↗- Jurisdiction and procedure are governed by applicable criminal legislation.
Gram Nyayalayas
Statutory village-level courts intended to improve access to justice.
Department of Justice · Gram Nyayalayas ↗- Established under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008; implementation varies by state.
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