History

The Court of District Judge Kangra at Dharamshala was established in the year 1884 and it functioned from Dharamshala since then. There was also Munsiff Ist Class at Dharamshala. As per data available, in the year 1886, Shri G.W.Rivaj was the District Judge, Kangra at Dharamshala and against his decision, appeal was heard by the Divisional Judge at Hoshiarpur. The matter was taken before the Chief Court Punjab at Lahore in 1888. Thus there existed a complete hierarchy of Courts. Further, available records show that a Munsiff Ist Class awas also functioning at Kangra in 1902. The District Judge, Hoshiarpur had been holding circuit court during summer. Prior to 1.11.1966, the Kangra district formed part of the Punjab and pursuant to Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966; it came to be merged with the Himachal Pradesh. Out of it, two Districts were carved out namely Una and Hamirpur on 1.9.1972. It is thickly populated and its headquarter is at Dharamshala, at the foothills of Dhauladhar Peaks. After 1.11.1966, various courts were created and made operational.

Administrative Setup

District and Sessions Judge in the cadre of Himachal Pradesh Higher Judicial Services is the ministerial head of the Civil and Sessions Division. All the ministerial staff of the subordinate Courts of the Civil and Sessions Division are under the immediate administrative control of District and Sessions Judge. The District and Sessions Judge is the Controlling and appointing authority of the ministerial staff of all the Courts of his Civil and Sessions Division. The District and Sessions Judge is also the disciplinary authority in respect of the ministerial staff of his Civil and Sessions Division. The District and Sessions Judge is also head of the District Judiciary. However, all correspondence of the subordinate courts related to the Hon’ble High Court are being routed through the office of District and Sessions Judge. In some matters of the subordinate Courts final action is taken by the District and Sessions Judge.The administrative files are being dealt by the English Clerk and Assistant English Clerk of the office of District and Sessions Judge and Accounts matters are being dealt by the Civil Nazir and Naib Nazir of the office of District and Sessions Judge. The work of the establishment of the office of District and Sessions Judge is being looked after by the Superintendent Grade-I under the control of the District and Sessions Judge. The appointing and controlling authority in respect of the post of Superintendent Grade-I in the Civil and Sessions Division is Hon’ble High Court of Himachal Pradesh. Besides this, in the Court of District & Sessions Judge, one post of Superintendent Grade-II (Reader) has been provided to look after the Court work in Judicial matter to assist the District & Sessions Judge. Civil and Criminal Ahlmads (Clerks) have been assigned the work of dealing Civil and Criminal cases and they have to comply with daily orders of the Hon’ble Court. Similarly, in the subordinate Courts Civil and Criminal Ahlmads have been provided in each court for dealing the Civil and Criminal Cases pending in the respective Courts. In subordinate courts there is one post of Naib Nazir and Copyist in the each Court to deal with the Accounts matters and to supply the copies in the Civil and Criminal cases of their respective courts to parties. In subordinate Courts of the Civil and Sessions Division one post of Superintendent Grade-II to each court has been provided to deal the administrative matters in respect of their respective Courts.