Gauhati High Court

Gauhati High Court
High Court Building
26.1913°N 91.7514°E / 26.1913; 91.7514
Established	5 April 1948
Location	Principal Seat: Guwahati, Assam Circuit Benches: Kohima, Aizawl & Itanagar
Coordinates	26.1913°N 91.7514°E / 26.1913; 91.7514
Composition method	Presidential with confirmation of Chief Justice of India and Governor of respective state.
Authorised by	Constitution of India
Appeals to	Supreme Court of India
Judge term length	mandatory retirement by age of 62
Number of positions	24 (18+6)
Website	www.ghconline.gov.in
Chief Justice
Currently	Ajai Lamba
Since	7 October 2019

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.

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 four states.

Principal Seat & Benches

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)

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)

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

• Mr. Justice Michael Zothankhuma (Station Judge)

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. Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi (Former Chief Justice, Gauhati High Court)
• Hon'ble Mr. Chief Justice A. S. Bopanna (Former Chief Justice, Gauhati High Court)

List of Chief Justices

#	Chief Justice	Tenure
		Start	End
1	R. F. Lodge
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

See also

• High Courts of India

References

• Jurisdiction and Seats of Indian High Courts
• Judge strength in High Courts increased

External links

• Gauhati High Court - Legal Directory
• High Court website