Jurisdiction of the Bombay High Court (HIGH COURT PRACTICE 3)

The Bombay High Court exercises its judicial functions through two distinct establishments, namely the Original Side and the Appellate Side, for the purpose of carrying out its day-to-day judicial work. Each side has a separate jurisdiction, procedure, and set of rules governing the matters entertained by it.

The Appellate Side of the High Court exercises both civil and criminal jurisdiction and functions through benches located across the State of Maharashtra and the State of Goa. Matters on the Appellate Side are heard at benches situated at Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Panaji (Goa), and the Kolhapur Circuit Bench, depending on the territorial jurisdiction of the cause of action.

TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION 

The territorial Jurisdiction of the various Benches is as follows : 

(A) APPELLATE SIDE JURISDICTION

MATTER TYPES

(1) Civil Jurisdiction - 

The High Court deals with following types of matter in its Civil Jurisdiction

1. Writ Petition 
2. First Appeal 
3. Family Court Appeal 
4. Letters Patent Appeal 
5. Second Appeal 
6. Appeals from Order 
7. Contempt Appeals 
8. Civil Revision Application 
9. Contempt Petition 
10. Misc. Civil Application 
11. Civil References 
12. Tax Appeals 
13. Arbitration Petition 
14. Civil Application

(2) Criminal Jurisdiction -

The High Court deals with following types of matter in its Criminal Jurisdiction 

1. Criminal Writ Petition 
2. Criminal Appeal 
3. Confirmation Cases 
4. Criminal Revision Application 
5. Criminal Application 
6. Criminal Miscellaneous Application 
7. Criminal References 
8. Criminal Contempt Petition

FORUM OF THE CATEGORY OF THE CASES

(1) Civil Appellate Jurisdiction - 

(2) Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction - 

(B) ORIGINAL SIDE JURISDICTION

The Ordinary Original Civil Jurisdiction of the High Court extends to Greater Bombay as defined in the Greater Bombay Laws and the Bombay High Court (Declaration of Limits) Act, 1945, as amended by the Act of 1950 and 1956. 

MATTER TYPES

The High Court deals with following types of matter in its Original Side Jurisdiction - 

Suits,  summary  Suits, Matrimonial Suits, Commercial Causes, Testamentary and Intestate Suits, and matters, Writ  Petitions, Company Matters, Land Acquisition References, Income tax and other tax matters, Insolvency matters, Admiralty and Vice-Admiralty Suits, Disciplinary Matters etc.

HOLDING OF COURT ON ORIGINAL SIDE

A Court for the exercise of the Original Jurisdiction of the High Court on its several sides may be held before one or more Judges of the High Court. Such Judge or Judges may, subject to any rules of the Court, exercise in Court or in Chambers all or any part of the Original Jurisdiction of the High Court.

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Sources -

1. Bombay High Court Website - https://bombayhighcourt.nic.in/proceeding.php

2. The Bombay High Court (Original Side) Rules, 1980

3. The Bombay High Court Appellate Side Rules, 1960