Gauhati High Court

The Guwahati 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 of Assam 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 East Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971.

Guwahati High Court
High Court Building
Established5 April 1948
LocationPrincipal Seat: Guwahati, Assam
Circuit Benches: Kohima, Aizawl & Itanagar
Coordinates26.1913°N 91.7514°E / 26.1913; 91.7514
Composition methodPresidential with confirmation of Chief Justice of India and Governor of respective state.
Authorized byConstitution of India
Appeals toSupreme Court of India
Judge term lengthmandatory retirement by age of 62
Number of positions24 (Permanent 18; Additional 6)
Websitewww.ghconline.gov.in
Chief Justice
CurrentlyAjai Lamba[1]
Since7 October 2019

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 Area (Re-organization) Act, 1971, a common High Court was established for the seven northeastern states: Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. It was again renamed as the Gauhati High Court.

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

Principal Seat & Benches[2]

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 Banch is, was earlier a Hostel which was renovated for the Kohima Bench. The inauguration of the Bench at the capital Kohima, was on 1 December 1972, by the Hon’ble Mr. Justice M.C.Pathak.

Permanent Judge for the State of Nagaland

  • Mr. Justice Lanusungkum Jamir (Portfolio Judge)[3]

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 Hon'ble Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, Dr. A.S. Anand at Naharlagun which is located about 13 km. from the capital town, Itanagar.

Permanent Judge for the State of Arunachal Pradesh

  • Pranoy Kumar Musahary (01/07/2008 - Till Date) retired now

The Aizawl bench for Mizoram state

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, Mr. Justice S.B.Mukherjee

Permanent Judge for the State of Mizoram

  • Mr. Justice M. R. Pathak (Portfolio Judge)[4]

Elevated as Additional Judge of the Gauhati High Court on 22 May 2013

  • Mr. Justice Michael Zothankhuma (Station Judge)[5]

Elevated as Additional Judge, Gauhati High Court on 7 January 2015

Judges from the High Court currently serving in the Supreme Court of India
  • Hon'ble Mr. Justice A. S. Bopanna (Former Chief Justice, Gauhati High Court)

List of Chief Justices
# Chief Justice Tenure
Start End
1 R. F. Lodge 5 April 1948
2 T V Thadani
3 Sarjoo Prasad
4 C P Sinha
5 Holiram Deka
6 G. Mehrotra
7 C. S. Row Nayudu
8 S. K. Dutta
9 M. C. Pathak
10 M. S. Swamy
11 C. M. Lodha 6 July 1978 10 March 1979
12 P. C. Reddy 30 September 1985 2 November 1986
13 K. M. Lahiri 3 November 1986
14 T. S. Misra
15 G. M. Lodha 1 March 1988 15 March 1988
16 A. S. Raghuvir 6 May 1988 21 March 1991
17 R. K. Manisana Singh 27 January 1994 1 February 1994
18 V. K. Khanna 24 April 1994 14 February 1997
19 M. Ramakrishna 18 June 1997 12 April 1998
20 Brijesh Kumar 12 February 1999 19 October 2000
21 N. C. Jain 20 October 2000 5 April 2001
22 R. S. Mongia 21 September 2001 10 June 2002
23 P. P. Naolekar 10 June 2002 27 August 2004
24 B. K. Roy 21 May 2005 30 September 2005
25 B. S. Reddy 5 December 2005 12 January 2007
26 Jasti Chelameswar 3 May 2007 17 March 2010
27 R. S. Garg 17 April 2010 18 June 2010
28 Madan Lokur 24 June 2010 15 November 2011
29 Adarsh Kumar Goel 20 December 2011 11 October 2013
30 Abhay Manohar Sapre 19 October 2013 13 August 2014
31 Ajit Singh 5 March 2016 5 September 2018
32 A. S. Bopanna 29 October 2018 24 May 2019
33 Ajai Lamba 7 October 2019 Incumbent
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See also
  • High Courts of India

References
  1. Correspondent, Legal (3 October 2019). "Seven High Courts get new Chief Justices". The Hindu. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  2. http://www.ghconline.gov.in
  3. http://kohimahighcourt.gov.in/Judges%20profile.html
  4. http://ghcazlbench.nic.in/Profile.htm
  5. http://ghcazlbench.nic.in/Profile.htm


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