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:
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West Bengal
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Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
It exercises:
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Original Jurisdiction (civil & constitutional matters)
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Appellate Jurisdiction (appeals from lower courts)
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Writ Jurisdiction (Article 226 of the Constitution)
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Supervisory Jurisdiction over subordinate courts
Structure
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Headed by a Chief Justice
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Assisted by multiple Puisne Judges
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Judges are appointed by the President of India
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Retirement age of High Court judges: 62 years
Benches
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Principal Bench: Kolkata
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Circuit Bench: Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands)
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Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench: Jalpaiguri, West Bengal
Historical & Legal Significance
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One of the first three High Courts in India (along with Bombay and Madras High Courts).
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Known for landmark judgments that shaped Indian constitutional and civil law.
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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)
| Name | Known For / Notes |
| Samaraditya Pal | One of the most prominent senior advocates of the Calcutta High Court; renowned barrister in Indian law (died 2023) with a distinguished legal career. |
| Arunava Ghosh | Advocate practicing at Calcutta High Court, long-time member of the Bar; elected President of the Calcutta High Court Bar Association. |
| Koustav Bagchi | Advocate known for Constitutional and High Court litigation, and public interest legal activism in West Bengal. |
| Anath Bandhu Maitra | Experienced lawyer often listed among top practising lawyers in Calcutta High Court for criminal and related matters. |
| Biswapati Das | Well-rated advocate appearing in various civil, property, and arbitration cases in the Calcutta High Court region. |
| Mousoumee Shome | Landmark advocate with expertise in constitutional and consumer matters, listed among notable lawyers in HC matters. |
| Mita Banerjee | Practising advocate handling civil, family, and other legal issues at courts in Kolkata. |
| Subhankar Sanyal | Practising HC lawyer with experience in criminal, civil, and family law before the High Court. |
| Sharmin Zafar | Advocate dealing with a range of civil and criminal litigation at the High Court. |
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
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Daily Publication
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Published every working day.
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Usually available online one day before the hearing.
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Bench-wise Listing
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Cases are listed according to different benches (Single Bench / Division Bench).
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Court Number Mentioned
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Each case shows the specific courtroom number.
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Case Number & Title
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Includes case number, year, and names of petitioner/appellant and respondent.
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Advocate Names
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Lists names of lawyers appearing for both sides.
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Stage of Case
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Indicates whether it is for admission, hearing, final disposal, bail, etc.
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Original Side & Appellate Side
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Separate cause lists for Original Side and Appellate Side matters.
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Supplementary Cause List
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Additional list issued if urgent cases are added later.
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Court Timing
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Generally hearings begin around 10:30 AM (may vary).
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Online Access
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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.
Fahmeena Begum is a Legal Content Writer with 3+ years of content writing experience. She creates clear and reader-friendly informational content covering law, legal rights, court procedures and related topics.
Sameena Begum is a Legal Content Reviewer with 8 years of digital content experience. Her review work focuses on clarity, readability, consistency, structure and overall editorial quality.
