Subordinate courts
Also called: District courts, Lower courts · Topic: Justice Delivery: Subordinate Courts, Tribunals, Legal Aid and Judicial Reforms · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 6 "Judiciary"
Meaning
Subordinate courts are all the courts below the High Court. They form the base of India's single, integrated judiciary, meaning one connected pyramid of courts with the Supreme Court at the top. On the civil side they include the District Judge and civil judges. On the criminal side they include the sessions court and judicial magistrates. These courts are covered by Articles 233-237:
- The Governor appoints district judges in consultation with the High Court.
- The Governor appoints other judicial officers after consulting the State Public Service Commission and the High Court.
- The High Court controls these courts under Article 235.
Example
Most citizens meet the judiciary here. A property dispute begins before a civil judge, and a theft case is tried by a magistrate. Today about 85-87% of India's pending cases are in district and subordinate courts.
Don't confuse with
- Tribunals: specialised quasi-judicial bodies, such as the CAT or NGT, that sit outside this court pyramid.
Related concepts
- District judge
- Sessions court
- Judicial magistrate
- Executive magistrate
- High Court's control over subordinate courts
- High Court's power of superintendence