Karnataka High Court

The High Court is composed of the Chief Justice of Karnataka and other judges. Judges are appointed by the President of India.[1] As of December 2020, there are 46 judges in the High Court,[2] out of a sanctioned maximum strength of 62.[3] Abhay Shreeniwas Oka has been the Chief Justice since May 10, 2019.[4]

The High Court is the highest judicial authority within the State of Karnataka. It has superintendence over all courts and tribunals, such as district courts, operating within Karnataka, except those of the armed forces.[5][6] Appeals against judgements of lower courts, such as district-level civil and sessions courts, are heard in the High Court. Appeals against judgements of the High Court are heard by the Supreme Court of India.

The High Court is a court of record and can prosecute for contempt of itself.[7]

Rear facade of Attara Kacheri, the Bangalore seat of the Court's principal bench

The High Court's principal bench is located in Bangalore, in a building called the Attara Kacheri. It is a wide two-storied building of stone and brick, painted red, in the neoclassical style of architecture. It was constructed between 1864 and 1868.[8]

There was a proposal to demolish this building in the year 1982.[9] A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the High Court pleading to stop the demolition. This was the first PIL to be filed in the court, and the case was heard in the same building that was supposed to be demolished.[10] The petition was struck down by the High Court, but the proposal to demolish the building was dropped in 1985 when the Supreme Court asked the state government to reconsider demolition.

Attara Katcheri, Bangalore (Early 1900s), Tucks Post Card

Four judges of the court, E. S. Venkataramiah, M. N. Venkatachaliah, S. Rajendra Babu and H.L. Dattu, went on to become Chief Justices of India[11] and others including Kalmanje Jagannatha Shetty, N. Venkatachala, R. V. Raveendran, Shivaraj Patil, Venkate Gopala Gowda, Mohan Shantanagoudar and S. Abdul Nazeer were appointed as judges in the Supreme Court of India.[12]

Karnataka High court bench in Gulbarga.

The Karnataka High Court is currently functional in Bangalore, Dharwad and Gulbarga. There was a long-standing demand for an additional bench as the location of Bangalore in south-east corner of the state caused hardship for people visiting the High Court from the distant northern regions of the state. This issue led to agitation, including boycott of court proceedings by lawyers in the northern region. The demand was finally met in the year 2006 when it was decided that circuit benches of the High Court would be set up in Dharwad and Gulbarga.[13] The new branches were inaugurated on 4 and 5 July 2008, respectively. There was later demand to make both Dharwad and Gulbarga benches permanent. Consequently, Dharwad circuit bench became a permanent bench from 25 August 2013 and Gulbarga circuit bench became a permanent bench from 31 August 2013.

In late 2002, 14 newspapers and periodicals reported that some judges from the High Court of Karnataka were allegedly involved in a sex scandal in Mysore. A high-level judicial inquiry committee was established by the Chief Justice. Later, the committee acquitted the judges as they could not find any substantive evidence.[14][15][16]

• Jurisdiction and Seats of Indian High Courts
• Judge strength in High Courts increased
• Dharwad HC circuit bench gets permanent tag – Business Standard News

• Royaloo Chetty, T. (1909). A Brief Sketch of the Life of T. R. A. Thumboo Chetty, C.I.E, Formerly Chief Judge and Officiating Dewan of Mysore. . Hoe & Co.Madras.
• Official Karnataka High Court website
• Luminaries who presided over the High Court