High Courts
High Courts · subordinate courts · NJAC verdict · collegium
What is a High Court?
A High Court is the highest court in a state or union territory, established under Articles 214 to 231 of the Constitution; India has 25 of them as of 2025. Each is a court of record with writ jurisdiction under Article 226 — wider than the Supreme Court's Article 32 — and supervisory power over subordinate courts and tribunals under Article 227. Judges retire at 62.
Story hook
It is 3 February 2023 at the Supreme Court of India. CJI D.Y. Chandrachud is announcing the SC collegium's recommendation: 8 new judges to be appointed to the Bombay High Court. Yet the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) deadlock between collegium and the government means many recommendations have been pending for months or years. By 2024, High Courts across India have 30%+ judicial vacancies — ~330+ posts vacant out of ~1,108 sanctioned strength.
The High Court is the highest judicial body in each state. Articles 214-231. 25 High Courts in India serve 28 states + 8 UTs (some HCs cover multiple states/UTs).
Below the High Courts lies the subordinate judiciary — District Courts + Sessions Courts + magistracy + revenue courts + specialised tribunals. ~24 crore civil + criminal cases pending across this system as of 2024.
For UPSC, High Courts + Subordinate Judiciary is a regularly-tested Polity topic.
Why this matters for UPSC
For UPSC:
- Prelims: HCs Articles 214-231; 25 HCs + their jurisdictions; composition + appointment; subordinate judiciary structure; major tribunals (CAT, AFT, NCLT, NGT).
- Mains GS-II: Judicial reform, MoP deadlock, NJAC verdict's impact, All-India Judicial Service (AIJS) debate.
This file covers High Court structure + jurisdiction + appointment
- subordinate judiciary + tribunals.
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