Established on 21st March 1919, Lahore High Court is the highest court of law in the city. It is considered as one of the oldest superior courts in Lahore, although its predecessors have functioned in the city reinstating justice since 1866.
History of Lahore High Court
The system of justice in Lahore dates back to the 17th century. Under the jurisdiction of the Sikh leader, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Saddar Adulate Court or the Chief Court of Lahore was maintained. However, this court dealt with fiscal and military issues. Civil and criminal cases were not dealt by the court in Lahore.
After the annexation of Punjab by the British, the Judicial Commissioner was established as the final court of appeal in the region. He was an integral part of the Board of Administration, established in 1853. In the ensuing years, seven classes of court were founded to deal with civil jurisdiction. In the judicial hierarchy, Court of Judicial Commissioner stood at the highest level with the Court of Tehsildar at the bottom.
Punjab Chief Court
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The Chief Court of Punjab was established with the acceptance of the Chief Court Act, IV of 1866. This court was vested with the powers of jurisdiction over subordinate courts. It also had extraordinary powers of civil jurisdiction. The functions and responsibilities of the Chief Court increased manifold in the following years. The senior most judge of the court soon came to be referred to as the Chief Judge, after the passing of Act XIX of 1895.
With the lapse of two decades, the Chief Court in Punjab witnessed several changes with the increase of income of all the judges. The permission to establish high court was granted to the British authority with the Indian High Court Act in 1911. However, the act was repealed by the authorities with the Government of India Act, 1915. The new act declared that the existing courts, established with Letters Patent, would henceforth be designated as High Court and consists of a Chief Justice. This led to the final establishment of Lahore High Court under the provisions mentioned in Section 113 of the Government of India Act, 1915.
Extensive powers and authorities are granted to the High Court in Lahore by the laws mentioned in the 1973 Constitution. Presently, the high court has its primal seat at Lahore with the three benches at Rawalpindi, Multan and Bahawalpur.
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