The Calcutta High Court is a medieval court in India. It is located in Kolkata, West Bengal, and has command over the land of West Bengal and the Act of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The High Court building’s design is based on the Cloth Hall in Belgium. The Court has a lawful judge strength of 72. It started on July 1, 1862

Calcutta High Court – Overview

The Calcutta High Court is one of the oldest and most prestigious High Courts in India. It was established on 1 July 1862 under the Indian High Courts Act, 1861, during British rule. It is located in Kolkata, West Bengal, and serves as the highest judicial authority in the state.

Jurisdiction

The court has jurisdiction over:

• West Bengal

• Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

It exercises:

• Original Jurisdiction (civil & constitutional matters)

• Appellate Jurisdiction (appeals from lower courts)

• Writ Jurisdiction (Article 226 of the Constitution)

• Supervisory Jurisdiction over subordinate courts

Structure

• Headed by a Chief Justice

• Assisted by multiple Puisne Judges

• Judges are appointed by the President of India

• Retirement age of High Court judges: 62 years

Benches

• Principal Bench: Kolkata

• Circuit Bench: Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands)

• Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench: Jalpaiguri, West Bengal

Historical & Legal Significance

• One of the first three High Courts in India (along with Bombay and Madras High Courts).

• Known for landmark judgments that shaped Indian constitutional and civil law.

• The building features Gothic Revival architecture, inspired by the Cloth Hall at Ypres, Belgium.

Calcutta High Court – Details

Particulars	Details
Name	Calcutta High Court
Established	1 July 1862
Established Under	Indian High Courts Act, 1861
Location (Main Bench)	Kolkata, West Bengal
Circuit Bench	Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands)
Jurisdiction	State of West Bengal & Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Type of Court	High Court (Constitutional Court)
Architecture Style	Gothic Revival Style
Inspired By	Cloth Hall, Ypres (Belgium)
Head of Court	Chief Justice
Appointment of Judges	Appointed by the President of India
Retirement Age of Judges	62 Years
Original Jurisdiction	Civil, Constitutional, Admiralty, Company Law matters
Appellate Jurisdiction	Appeals from District & Subordinate Courts
Writ Jurisdiction	Article 226 of Indian Constitution
Supervisory Power	Controls and supervises lower courts
Official Website	https://www.calcuttahighcourt.gov.in
Address	Esplanade Row West, Kolkata – 700001, West Bengal

Calcutta High Court – Contact Details

Contact Type	Details
Official Address	3, Justice Radhabinod Pal Sarani, Kolkata – 700001, West Bengal, India (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)
Website	https://www.calcuttahighcourt.gov.in (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)
General PBX Phone Numbers	033 2254-8000 / 033 2248-7485 / 033 2248-7487 / 033 2248-7488 / 033 2248-6717 / 033 2248-6579 (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)
Registrar General Email	rghc_cal@rediffmail.com (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)
Protocol Dept. Emails	calcuttahighcourtprotocol@gmail.com calcuttahighcourtprotocol@nic.in (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)
Fax – Registrar General	033 2248-7835 (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)
Fax – Judicial Service	033 2213-9306 (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)
Fax – Administration	033 2254-8142 (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)
Fax – Inspection	033 2231-5784 (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)
Fax – Vigilance & Protocol	033 2231-4872 (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)
Fax – Original Side	033 2248-2580 (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)
Fax – Protocol Department	033 2248-8736 (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)
Fax – Chief Justice Secretariat	033 2242-9158 (calcuttahighcourt.gov.in)

Times Of Calcutta High Court

Notable Advocates (Prominent / Senior Lawyers)

Calcutta High Court – Departments

Department / Division	Main Function
Original Side	Handles civil cases filed directly in the High Court (mainly in Kolkata jurisdiction). Includes company law and admiralty matters.
Appellate Side	Hears appeals from district and subordinate courts in West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Civil Division	Deals with civil disputes such as property, contracts, inheritance, etc.
Criminal Division	Handles criminal appeals, bail matters, and serious criminal cases.
Constitutional / Writ Jurisdiction	Issues writs under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for protection of fundamental rights.
Company & Commercial Division	Corporate disputes, insolvency, mergers, commercial suits.
Admiralty Jurisdiction	Maritime and shipping-related disputes.

Calcutta High Court Cause List

1. Daily Publication

   • Published every working day.

   • Usually available online one day before the hearing.

2. Bench-wise Listing

   • Cases are listed according to different benches (Single Bench / Division Bench).

3. Court Number Mentioned

   • Each case shows the specific courtroom number.

4. Case Number & Title

   • Includes case number, year, and names of petitioner/appellant and respondent.

5. Advocate Names

   • Lists names of lawyers appearing for both sides.

6. Stage of Case

   • Indicates whether it is for admission, hearing, final disposal, bail, etc.

7. Original Side & Appellate Side

   • Separate cause lists for Original Side and Appellate Side matters.

8. Supplementary Cause List

   • Additional list issued if urgent cases are added later.

9. Court Timing

   • Generally hearings begin around 10:30 AM (may vary).

10. Online Access

• Available on the official website under the “Cause List” section.

Comparison of Calcutta High Court with Other Major High Courts

Feature	Calcutta High Court	Bombay High Court	Madras High Court	Delhi High Court
Established	1 July 1862	14 August 1862	15 August 1862	31-Oct-66
Established Under	Indian High Courts Act, 1861	Indian High Courts Act, 1861	Indian High Courts Act, 1861	Delhi High Court Act, 1966
Location	Kolkata, West Bengal	Mumbai, Maharashtra	Chennai, Tamil Nadu	New Delhi
Jurisdiction	West Bengal & Andaman & Nicobar Islands	Maharashtra, Goa, Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli	Tamil Nadu & Puducherry	National Capital Territory of Delhi
Type of Jurisdiction	Original & Appellate	Original & Appellate	Original & Appellate	Primarily Appellate (limited original civil jurisdiction)
Architecture Style	Gothic Revival	Gothic Revival	Indo-Saracenic	Modern Architecture
Circuit Benches	Port Blair, Jalpaiguri	Nagpur, Aurangabad, Panaji	Madurai Bench	No permanent circuit bench
Historical Significance	One of the first three High Courts in India	One of the first three High Courts in India	One of the first three High Courts in India	Established after independence

Conclusion

High Courts are the highest party courts in every state and union of India. Supreme courts exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction only in cases where competent courts are not authorized by law.