Orissa High Court - History & Case Study

As the name suggests, the Odisha High Court is the primary court in charge of the state of Odisha. Located at Chandini Chowk, Cuttack, Odisha, the court has a sanctioned judge strength of 27. Under the jurisdiction of the Odisha High Court, there are currently 30 district courts with 181 district judges,191 senior civil judges, and 308 civil judges.

The history behind the Indian judiciary, list of high courts in India and their functions and powers are all important from the IAS exam perspective.

In this article, we bring to you the details about the functions and powers of the high court in Orissa. Also, learn about the case study on Odisha High Court for Decentralization of Power in Education.

For a comprehensive List of High Courts in India, candidates can visit the linked article.

History of Odisha High Court

Presided over by the Patna High Court since 1916, Odisha became a separate province on April 1, 1936, but it was not given its own High Court then. In Cuttack, the High Court Bar Association passed a resolution on July 26, 1938, calling for a separate High Court for Odisha. On February 11, 1939, the Legislative Assembly passed a resolution requesting the Government to appoint a committee to investigate the possibility of creating a separate High Court in Odisha.

On April 30, 1948, the Government of India consented to establish a new High Court. To that end, it issued the Odisha High Court Order, 1948, under Section 229(1) of the Government of India Act, 1935. Finally, the Odisha High Court was solemnly launched on July 26, 1948.

Presently, S. Muralidhar is the Chief Justice of Odisha High Court. He has been a former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was nominated by Sharad Arvind Bobde and appointed by Ram Nath Kovind.

Landmark Case: Odisha High Court for Decentralization of Power in Education

In May 2021, through a 102-page judgment, The Odisha High Court had asked for more decentralization of power and active participation of local communities and panchayats to ensure that primary education receives the attention it deserves in the state.

According to the Court, local communities and panchayats must be involved because the goal is not just to have finances but also to spend them wisely and profitably through suitable administrative measures and academic changes.

IAS aspirants must read about High Courts in India, the highest judicial court in a state at the linked article.

Odisha Arbitration Centre

Hon’ble Shri Justice Dipak Misra, Judge, Supreme Court of India, inaugurated the High Court of Odisha Arbitration Centre (OAC) on October 18, 2014, in the august presence of Hon’ble Shri Justice Amitava Roy, Chief Justice, Odisha High Court, and other Hon’ble Judges of Odisha High Court.

The Civil Procedure Code and the Indian Evidence Act do not apply to the Arbitral Tribunal. The parties are free to agree on the procedure to be followed by the Arbitral Tribunal in conducting its hearings. The Arbitral Tribunal can also issue interim orders, and the Courts’ supervisory role in the arbitration process has been expanded.

Implementation of e-Procurement

As per the order of the e-Committee, Supreme Court of India, New Delhi, Odisha High Court has been enrolled in the State e-Procurement Portal www.tenders.gov.in for various tenders issued by the High Court. These include:

1. Tenders for Scanning and Digitization of Court Records, Supply, Testing, Installation, and Maintenance of Hardware (Desktop Computers) at District and Subordinate Courts across the State of Odisha, and
2. Testing, Installation, and Maintenance of LAN at District and Subordinate Courts across the State of Odisha through the empanelment of vendors under e-courts.

Conclusion

If you want to know more details about Odisha High Court, you can visit their official website (www.odishahighcourt.nic.in). You can also check their recruitment corner to get updated about new jobs and recruitment drives.

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