High Court & Judicial System
Allahabad High Court — history, Lucknow bench, largest High Court by judge strength, subordinate courts, Lok Adalats, and legal services in UP for UPSSSC AGTA.
Allahabad High Court — Overview
The Allahabad High Court is one of the oldest and most significant High Courts in India. It exercises jurisdiction over the entire state of Uttar Pradesh.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Established | 24 March 1866 |
| Principal seat | Prayagraj (Allahabad) |
| Bench | Lucknow Bench (established 1948) |
| Distinction | Largest High Court in India by sanctioned judge strength |
| Sanctioned judges | 160 (highest of any High Court) |
The High Court was originally called the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad and was established under the Indian High Courts Act, 1861 (the actual order was passed in 1866).
Historical Background
The judicial system in the United Provinces evolved through several stages:
| Year | Development |
|---|---|
| 1831 | Sadar Diwani Adalat and Sadar Nizamat Adalat established at Allahabad |
| 1866 | Allahabad High Court established — merged the two Sadar Adalats |
| 1948 | Lucknow Bench of the High Court established |
| 2000 | Uttaranchal (now Uttarakhand) carved out — separate Nainital High Court created |
Exam Tip: Before 2000, the Allahabad High Court also had jurisdiction over what is now Uttarakhand. The Nainital Bench became the independent Uttarakhand High Court in 2000.
Principal Seat — Prayagraj
The principal seat at Prayagraj handles cases from most districts of UP. The imposing High Court building, built in Indo-Saracenic architecture, is a landmark of Prayagraj city.
Lucknow Bench
The Lucknow Bench was created in 1948 to provide easier access to justice for litigants from central and eastern UP. It hears cases from a defined set of districts.
| Seat | Districts Covered |
|---|---|
| Prayagraj (Principal) | Southern, south-western, and some eastern UP districts |
| Lucknow Bench | Central and parts of eastern UP (Lucknow, Sitapur, Bahraich, Gorakhpur, etc.) |
Composition and Appointment
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chief Justice | Appointed by the President of India (in consultation with CJI and Governor) |
| Judges | Appointed by the President on recommendation of the Collegium system |
| Retirement age | 62 years |
| Qualifications | Citizen of India, 10 years as advocate in High Court OR 10 years in judicial service |
The High Court has both original jurisdiction (for writ petitions under Article 226) and appellate jurisdiction (appeals from subordinate courts).
Writ Jurisdiction (Article 226)
The High Court can issue five types of writs to protect fundamental rights and for other purposes:
| Writ | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Habeas Corpus | Release of illegally detained person |
| Mandamus | Directing a public authority to perform its duty |
| Certiorari | Quashing an order of a lower court/tribunal |
| Prohibition | Preventing a lower court from exceeding jurisdiction |
| Quo Warranto | Questioning a person’s right to hold public office |
Subordinate Courts
Below the High Court, UP has a multi-layered subordinate court system:
| Court | Head | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|---|
| District & Sessions Court | District Judge / Sessions Judge | Highest court at district level; civil and criminal cases |
| Civil Courts | Civil Judge (Senior/Junior Division) | Property disputes, contracts, civil suits |
| Criminal Courts | Chief Judicial Magistrate, Judicial Magistrate | Criminal cases below Sessions Court level |
| Family Courts | Family Court Judge | Divorce, maintenance, custody, domestic disputes |
- The District Judge is the highest judicial authority at the district level.
- As Sessions Judge, the same officer tries serious criminal cases (murder, robbery, etc.) and can award sentences up to life imprisonment or death (subject to High Court confirmation for death sentences).
Revenue Courts
UP has a parallel system of revenue courts that deal with land and agrarian disputes:
| Court | Officer |
|---|---|
| Board of Revenue | Chairman (highest revenue court in UP) |
| Commissioner’s Court | Divisional Commissioner |
| Collector’s Court | District Collector/DM |
| Tehsildar’s Court | Tehsildar |
- The Board of Revenue, Prayagraj is the apex revenue court. It hears final appeals in land revenue and tenancy matters.
- Revenue courts handle mutation, land partition, tenancy disputes, and land ceiling cases.
Lok Adalat System
Lok Adalats (People’s Courts) provide alternative dispute resolution — settling cases through compromise and conciliation rather than adversarial litigation.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 |
| Court fee | No court fee |
| Appeal | No appeal against Lok Adalat decisions — they are final and binding |
| Cases handled | Motor accident claims, matrimonial disputes, compoundable criminal cases, bank recovery |
- Permanent Lok Adalats exist for public utility services (electricity, transport, telecom, insurance).
- UP holds National Lok Adalats (quarterly), where thousands of cases are settled in a single day across all districts.
Legal Services Authority
The UP State Legal Services Authority (UPSLSA), headquartered in Prayagraj, provides free legal aid to eligible persons:
| Eligible Category |
|---|
| SC/ST members |
| Women and children |
| Persons with disabilities |
| Victims of trafficking |
| Industrial workers |
| Persons earning below prescribed income limit |
- At the district level, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) operates under the chairmanship of the District Judge.
- Taluka Legal Services Committees function at the tehsil level.
Consumer Forums
| Level | Forum |
|---|---|
| District | District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (cases up to Rs 1 crore) |
| State | UP State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Lucknow (Rs 1-10 crore) |
| National | National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Delhi (above Rs 10 crore) |
Consumer forums operate under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Key Takeaways
- The Allahabad High Court (1866) is one of India’s oldest and the largest by judge strength.
- It has two seats: Prayagraj (principal) and Lucknow Bench.
- Board of Revenue, Prayagraj is the highest revenue court.
- Lok Adalat decisions are final and non-appealable.
Summary Cheat Sheet
| Exam Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| Allahabad HC established | 1866 |
| Lucknow Bench established | 1948 |
| Sanctioned judge strength | 160 (largest in India) |
| HC judge retirement age | 62 years |
| Writ jurisdiction article | Article 226 |
| Five writs | Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Certiorari, Prohibition, Quo Warranto |
| Highest revenue court in UP | Board of Revenue, Prayagraj |
| Lok Adalat appeal | No appeal (final & binding) |
| Consumer Protection Act | 2019 |
Knowledge Check
Take a dynamically generated quiz based on the material you just read to test your understanding and get personalized feedback.
Lesson Doubts
Ask questions, get expert answers