JUDICIAL SETUP
DISTRICT & SESSIONS COURT
DISTRICT & SESSIONS COURT
There is a Principal District & Session Judge and three Addl. District and Sessions Judges in Ernakulam District. Among the three Addl . Courts one is at N.Paravur . The Addl. District Court, N.paravur has filing powers. These District Courts are invested with Original, appellate and revisional jurisdiction both in Civil and Criminal matters. There are also three Addl. District and Sessions (Ad hoc) Courts of which two at Ernakulam City and one at N. Paravur. Though they are established specially for the disposal of sessions cases, a few number of civil cases are also transferred to them by the Prl. District Judge .There are three Special Courts and one Wakf Tribunal also functioning as Addl. District and Sessions Courts.
The Prl and Addl. District Courts function as Rent Control Appellate Authority. The Prl.Sessions Court is the Special Court for the trial of cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. NDPS cases related to larger quantities are tried by the Prl. Sessions Court.
TRIBUNALS AND SPECIAL COURTS
STATE TRANSPORT APPELLATE TRIBUNAL (STAT)The Prl. District Judge is the Presiding officer of the STAT. Appeals and Revisions are before this Tribunal against the ordes of RTO's. The jurisdiction of this Tribunal is State wide.
MOTOR ACCIDENTS CLAIMS TRIBUNAL (MACT)There are three MACTs in Ernakulam District. One at Ernakulam, one at Muvattupuzha and one at Perumbavoor. Besides Special Court (SPE/CBI)-I , Special Court, Idamalayar Investigations, and Addl.District Court, N.Paravur also function as Addl. M.A.C.T.s These tribunals presided over by the District Judges deals with claims relating to loss of life, property, injury etc. in accidents arising out of the use of Motor vehicles.
SPECIAL COURT (SPE/CBI)There are two special Courts having all Kerala jurisdiction in respect of cases filed by the CBI. Special Court CBI-I & II are also funcitiong as III Addl. and IV Addl. District & Sessions Court respectively.
SPECIAL COURT, IDAMALAYAR INVESTIGATIONSIt was established for the trial and disposal of the case in Cime Number 155/CR88 relating to Idamalayar Investigation. It also functions as V Addl. District & Sessions Court and Addl. M.A.C.T
WAKF TRIBUNALThe Wakf Tribunal, Ernakulam has jurisdiction over the Revenue District of Ernakulam, Kariotta, Yukking, Trissur and Palakkad. It also functions as VI Addl. District & sessions court.
FAMILY COURTFamily court is presided over by a Judicial officer in the rank of District Judge and exercises all the jurisdiction exercisable by any District court or any Subordinate civil court under any law for the time being in force in respect suits and proceedings of the nature referred to in the explanation to S7 of the Family court Act.
SUBORIDNATE JUDGES /ASST. SESSIONS COURTS
There are 9 Subordinate Judges/Asst. Sessions court in Ernkaulam District. Four in Ernkaulam city, two at N.Paravur and one each at Kochi, Perumbavoor & Muvattupuzha. The subordinate judges courts is a court of unlimited pecuniary jurisdiction as far as original suit are concerned. Cases under the land acquisition act, Insolvency Act etc. are also filed before this court. The subordinate judges have been delegated with appellate powers over the Judgments/orders of the Munsiff's court. Offences exclusively triable by the court of Sessions and punishable with imprisonment up to 10 years are tried by the Asst.Sessions Court.
MUNSIFF'S COURTS
Suits valued up to Rs.one lakh are instituted before this court. Original petitions under the Indian Succession Act for succession certificate are considered by this court by virtue of delegated powers. There are 11 Munsiff courts in Ernakulam District. Four in Ernakulam City, two at Kochi & one each at Aluva, North Paravur, Perumbavoor , Muvattupuzha & Kolenchery The Hon'ble High Court of Kerala, in an attempt to reduce the pendency of cases in the Criminal Courts, has conferred all the powers of the JFCM on the Munsiffs in the Ernakulam District to try and dispose of cases involving offences U/s 138 of N.I.Act .RENT CONROL COURT
Out of the 4 Munsiff's court in Ernakulam city, the III Addl. Munsiff's court is designated as Rent control court which deals with the dispute between the landlord and tenant under the Kerala Building (Lease and Rent control) Act 1965. It has jurisdiction over the entire revenue district of Ernakulam regarding Rent control matters.
Out of the 4 Munsiff's court in Ernakulam city, the III Addl. Munsiff's court is designated as Rent control court which deals with the dispute between the landlord and tenant under the Kerala Building (Lease and Rent control) Act 1965. It has jurisdiction over the entire revenue district of Ernakulam regarding Rent control matters.
CRIMINAL COURTS
ERNAKULAM The Principal District Judge is the head of District Judiciary. There is a Sessions division in Ernakulam. 20 Courts including the honorary Magistrate's courts are located in the District court complex.The Chief Judicial MagistrateThe Chief Judicial Magistrate presides over the C.J.M court and the C.J.M is empowered to impose sentence of imprisonment up to 7 years and unlimited amount of fine. The administrative head of the criminal courts in the district is the Chief Judicial Magistrate.
Addl. Chief Judicial magistrate's courtThere are two Addl. Chief Judicial Magistrates Courts. Among them one is designated as Addl. Chief Judicial magistrate (Economic offences) court which has all Kerala jurisdiction for the trial of cases relating to economic offences
The Judicial Magistrate of First Class CourtsThe J.F.CMs deal with cases triable by them as per the first schedule of the Criminal Procedure Code. Various offences under the N.I.Act, Kerala Forest Act, Prevention of Food and Adulteration Act , Motor vehicles Act etc. are tried by them. They are empowered to impose sentence of imprisonment up to three years and fine up to Rs 5000. There are 12 J.F.C.M courts in Ernakulam District. Three at Ernakulam City, out of which J.F.C.M -III is the Mobile Court, 2 at Kochi, 2 at Aluva and 1 each at Perumbavoor, Muvattupuzha, Kothamangalam and N.Paravur. The court at Kolenchery is a Munsiff-Magistrate Court
The M.A.C.T and the Special Court for Idamalayar Investigations are located in Panampilly Nagar. Thr Special Courts (SPE/CBI)-I & II. Wakf Tribunal, A.C.J.M (E.O) and one Honorary Magistrate's Court are now functioning at Alappat Cross Road, Ravipuram. Family Court is being functioned at the Providence Road, Ernakulam.
There are various courts at N.Paravur, Kochi, Muvattupuzha, Aluva, Perumbavoor, Kolenchery and Kothamangalam.
The District court was orignally known as 'Anjikaimal' Court and started functioning in the present building by 1818. A new court complex building to house all the courts in the Ernakulam city would be constructed soon.
There are six Courts functioniong at North Paravur.The Addl.District Court N.Paravur,Sb Court N.Paravur,Munsiff's Court N.paravur and JFCM Court N.Paravur are housed in an old traditional building ,where as the Addl.District Court-Fast Track-III is functioning in a new building adjacent to the old building. The oldest Court at N.Paravur is the Munsiff's Court established in 1875.
There are four Courts functioning at Muvattupuzha.The MACT muvattupuzha,Sub Court Muvattupuzha,Munsiff's Court Muvattupuzha and JFCM Court Muvattupuzha are functioning in independant buildings.The first Court established in Muvattupuzha was munsiff's Court established about 100 years ago.The Munsiff Court is housed in a Old traditional Building .
The MACT Muvattupuzha started functioning on 18.8.1995 where as the sub court Muvattupuzha started funcitioning on 1.3.1990 .
COURTS AT PERUMBAVOOR There are four Courts functioning at Perumbavoor.The MACT Perumbavoor,Sub Court Perumbavoor,munsiff's Court perumbavoor and JFCM Court Perumbavoor. The First Court established at Perumbavoor is the Munsiff's Court Perumbavoor in 1812.The MACT Perumbavoor started functioning on 24.3.90 . The sub court is a relatively new court staretd functioning on 31.3.2007 .
There are four courts functioning atr Kochi .The sub court Kochi ,Munsiff Court Kochi and two JFCM courts .Originally these courts were situated at Mattancherry ,a historically important commercial town , a fine harbour and the trade center of erstwhile cochin state .These courts were later shifted to Thoppumpady in 1994.
The subcourt was oringinally having two branches .Recently one bench has been shifted to Perumbavoor and started funcitoning as Subcourt Perumbavoor .The First court establishment at kochi is Munsiff court ,that was in 1877.
