Article 214 of Indian Constitution: Establishment of High Courts for States

Article 214 of Indian Constitution establishes a strong judicial system at the state level by highlighting the necessity of the High Court in every State. The High Court justifies the constitutional value of the legal system; it also ensures the decentralization of the judiciary by enabling the State to manage independence of judicial responsibility to provide rules and regulations for proper functioning to delivering justice and managing the broader framework of India through a unified judicial system. 

Powers of the High Court

The high court not only maintains the rule of law but also ensures the implementation by the executive body to ensure citizens' fundamental and constitutional rights.

• Court of Record

Article 215 designates the High Court as a Court of Record, preserving judgments, enabling precedent-setting, and granting authority to punish contempt ensuring judicial dignity and protection against unlawful interference.

• Administrative Powers

The High Court supervises and regulates subordinate courts, transfers cases, oversees judicial records, and appoints administrative staff, ensuring efficient judiciary operation while adhering to constitutional standards.

• Judicial Review Power

Higher judicial bodies contain the power to review the judgment of lower courts, and this power allows the assessment of laws and the provision of action related to the executive body, striking down unconstitutional provisions, safeguarding fundamental rights, and upholding constitutional supremacy and values to apply the directed functioning of the High Court.

• Power of Certification

High Court power is mentioned in certain Articles; one of them is Article 132 of Indian constitution, which empowers the High Court's responsibility to filter cases for the Supreme Court as in appeals, focusing on legal questions that need to define the decisions of lower judiciary authority.

Article 214 of Indian Constitution signifies the importance of the High Court in the State to help maintain law and order in society by protecting the rights of citizens. Also, there are more reasons for the establishment of the High Court in the following manners:

• Establishment of High Courts: Ensures each State has its own High Court as the highest judicial authority in the State.
• State-Level Judiciary: The High Court is the only Higher judiciary body that handles disputes, appeals by lower courts' decisions, and enforcement petitions for fundamental and constitutional rights within the State.
• Independence of Judiciary: Reinforces the principle of an independent judiciary at the state level, safeguarding impartial justice.
• Role in Upholding the Rule of Law: This Article plays an important role in the proper functioning of the State because the High Court manages the rules of law at the state level.
• Decentralized Judicial System: This promotes decentralization by allowing states to manage their judiciary within India's unified legal framework.

Download Key takeaways on Article 214 of Indian Constitution PDF

Article 214 of Indian Constitution provides enforcement of the High Court in a state to establish that justice must be accessible for citizens at the state level. It states the importance of decentralization of the Indian system yet a unified judicial structure by enabling states to manage their judiciary affairs on their own by upholding the rule of law, enforcing the judicial role in protecting citizens' rights and delivering justice in proper manners while adhering to Constitutional principles independency.