Information on Mumbai High Court (Mumbai, Maharashtra) - History & Architecture

Mumbai High Court is to be one of the oldest homes of justice for the people residing in the state of Maharashtra, Goa and its adjoining places including the union territories. It is situated in the Fort area of Mumbai, Maharashtra. Although, it is primarily located in Bombay (present Mumbai) but it also has its streams in Aurangabad, Nagpur and Panaji (capital of Goa). The High Court is well-known for its Appellate as well as the Original Jurisdiction. Only the Supreme Court has the right to appeal the decisions made by the High Court. In this regard, 22 adjudicators were promoted to the Supreme Court since post independence and 8 as the Chief Justice of India.

Mumbai High Court Architecture

The architectural structure of this historical monument is relatively significant. The whole structure of the building is made in Gothic Revival style of the Early English designs. The credit for the designing of this outstanding monument goes to Col. J. A. Fuller. He was a British Engineer by profession. The area of this massive building is huge with a length of 171 metres (562 feet) and a breadth of 57 metres (187 feet). From the architectural perspective, it is worthy to state that the whole building was made up of black stone to increase its beauty. At the topmost part of the monument two beautiful structures of Justice and Mercy are erected to symbolize its strength and power. These two statues constructed for the enhancement of the Court, signifies motivation for the citizens to adhere the rules of the country. Two towers are in the shape of octagon and are sited in the west zone of the central tower. The structure of the Bombay High Court was expanded by adding building on both the sides. This extension adds to the architectural beauty and structure of the High Court.

Mumbai High Court History

The Bombay High Court along with the High Court of Kolkata (then Calcutta) and Chennai (then Madras) were established by the "Indian High Court Act" law passed under the rule of Queen of England on 1861. On 14th August of 1862 the construction of the Bombay High Court was completed and was inaugurated. Contextually, the name of the state altered from Bombay to Mumbai, but as per the law suit the name of the court will always remain the same as Bombay High Court. As per the history is concerned the Justice M. C. Chagla initiated the first sitting in the year 1879. Moreover, post independence he was the first Indian to act as Chief Justice of Bombay High Court. The building of the High court is more than 125 years old and carries its own heritage and significance in the history. A book was launched regarding the story of the Court by the two major historians including Rahul Mehrotra along with Sharada Dwivedi. The Bombay High Court have varied and strong history regarding its structure, judges and other officials. The court in the present day, have several cases pending, this adds to its importance.

Mumbai High Court Tourism Importance

The attraction of the people towards Bombay High Court is due to its rich legal heritage and its great architecture. The area is well connected making it easier for the tourist to visits. Moreover, there is timing regarding the entry into the Court for the tourist having interest in not only legal cases but also other architectural heritage.