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    Judicial Setup

    Publish Date: February 23, 2023

    DISTRICT & SESSIONS COURT

    There is a Principal District & Sessions Court Complex and three Addl. District and Sessions Court Complexes 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 & Criminal matters. There are five Special Courts and one Wakf Tribunal also functioning as Addl.District and Sessions Courts.There are various courts at N.Paravur, Kochi, Muvattupuzha, Aluva, Perumbavoor, Kolenchery and Kothamangalam.

    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.

    The Principal District Judge is the head of District Judiciary. There is a Sessions division in Ernakulam. 30 Courts including the honorary Magistrate’s courts are located in the District court complex. Addl. District Court V (Special Court for Idamalayar Investigations) is located in Panampilly Nagar. Addl. District Court VI is functioning at Alappat Cross Road, Ravipuram.The Special Courts (SPE/CBI)-I,II & III are functioning at Court Complex, Kaloor. The Special court for the trial of cases relating to Atrocities and sexual violence against Women and Children is now functioning at old District Court Complex, Ernakulam.

    The District court was orignally known as ‘Anjikaimal’ Court and started functioning in the present building by 1818, in the building now occupied by the Addl. Sessions Court for the POCSO Act offences. The new court complex building has been inaugrated in 2016 and now most of the courts are functioning in it. The District Court has also an annex building at Kaloor.

    TRIBUNALS AND SPECIAL COURTS

    STATE TRANSPORT APPELLATE TRIBUNAL (STAT)

    The Principal District Judge was the Presiding Officer of the STAT. Appeals and Revisions against the orders of RTOs are heard by this Tribunal, which has statewide jurisdiction. On September 13, 2024, the Additional District and Sessions Judge I of Ernakulam assumed the role of Presiding Officer of the STAT.

    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, Addl.District Court V (Special Court Idamalayar Investigations), Addl.District Court N.Paravur, Addl.District Court VII and Addl.District Court VIII, Ernakulam also functioning 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 COURTS FOR NIA

    The Special Court for SPE/CBI-II was notified by the Central Government in 2009 as the Special Court for Trail of the offences scheduled in the NIA Act, 2008, with jurisdiction extending throughout the State of Kerala. In 2020, the Central Government has notified the Special Court for SPE/CBI-I also as the Special Court for the trial of the said offences, having the same jurisdiction.

    SPECIAL COURT (SPE/CBI)

    There are three 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 INVESTIGATIONS

    It was established for the trial and disposal of the case in Cime Number 155/CR88 relating to Idamalayar Investigation. Now it is functioning as Vth Addl. District & Sessions Court and Addl.M.A.C.T. Ernakulam.

    FAMILY COURT

    There are four Family Courts functioning in Ernakulam district, One is at Old District Court Complex (Old CJM Court) building, one is at Muvattupuzha one is at North Paravur and one is at Aluva. Family 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 COURTS

    Suits valued up to Rs.Ten 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 12 Munsiff courts in Ernakulam District. Four in Ernakulam City, two at Kochi & one each at Aluva, North Paravur, Perumbavoor , Muvattupuzha, Kolenchery & Kothamangalam.
    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.

    CRIMINAL COURTS

    The Chief Judicial Magistrate

    The 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 court

    There are three 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 and one is Addl. Chief Judicial magistrate for the trail of cases against the former/sitting MPs/MLAs in Ernakulam District.

    The Judicial Magistrate of First Class Courts

    The 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 20,000. There are 28 J.F.C.M courts in Ernakulam District. Six at Ernakulam City, out of which one J.F.C.M is the spl. Magistrate court for the NI act cases, 2 at Kochi, 2 at Aluva, 2 at Muvattupuzha, 3 at Perumbavoor, 2 at Kothamangalam, 2 at N.Paravur and 1 each at Kakkanad, kalamassery, Angamaly, Njarakkal, Thripunithura, Chottanikkara, Kolenchery, Piravom and Mattanchery which is located in Pallurithi. The courts at Kolenchery and Kothamangalam are Munsiff-Magistrate Court.

    North Paravur

    There are six Courts at North Paravur.The Addl.District Court ,Sub Courts ,Munsiff’ Court and JFCM Court are housed in an old traditional building ,where as the Addl.District Court-II is being functioned in a new building adjacent to the old building. The oldest Court at N.Paravur is the Munsiff’ Court established in 1875. Four more courts are residing independently at North Paravur – Family Court,Fast Track Special Court, JFCM III and Gram Nyayalaya Chendamangalam.

    Muvattupuzha

    There are six Courts functioning at Muvattupuzha.The MACT ,Family Court,Sub Court ,Munsiff’s Court, JFCM I Court and JFCM -III Court are functioning in new Court Complex.The first Court established in Muvattupuzha was the Munsiff’s Court about 100 years ago. The MACT Muvattupuzha started functioning on 18.8.1995, where as the sub court Muvattupuzha started functioning on 1.3.1990.

    Perumbavoor

    There are seven Courts functioning at Perumbavoor. They are the MACT, Fast Track Special Court,Sub Court, Munsiff’s/JFCM II Court, JFCM I Court, JFCM III and JFCM IV courts. The First Court established at Perumbavoor was the Munsiff’s Court in 1812.The MACT started functioning on 24.3.90. The sub court is a relatively new court started functioning on 31.3.2007 .

    Kochi

    There are five courts functioning at Kochi. They are Sub court,two Munsiff Courts 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 shifted to the new building at Thoppumpady on 27-05-1995.The Subcourt was originally having two benches. Recently one bench has been shifted to Perumbavoor as Subcourt Perumbavoor. The First court establishment at Kochi was Munsiff court in 1877.

    Kolenchery

    There is a Munsiff – Magistrate Court at Kolenchery started functioning on 19.9.1998. And also Gram Nyayalaya Vadavucode is situated in the same building.

    Aluva

    There are three courts at Aluva . They are the Munsiff Court two JFCM courts. The Munsifff court started functioning on 08.03.1985. Fast Track special Court and Family Court are also residing independently at Aluva.

    Kothamangalam

    There are three courts functioning at Court Complex Kothamangalam- JFCM I, JFCM II and Munsiff’s Court, among them JFCM I & Munsiff court are functioning as Munsiff-Magistrate Court.

    OFFICIAL RECEIVERS

    There are two official receivers , one attached to the District court, Ernakulam and another attached to the District court, N.Paravur.

    LEGAL AID

    The Legal Service Authorities Act 1987 (as amended by Amendment Act 1994 (No. 59/1994) is an act to constitute legal Services Authorities to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker section of the society to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities and to organize Lok Adalath to secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on the basis of equal opportunity.
    Legal aid clinics are constituted in various colleges in the city of Ernakulam.Weekly Adalath is organized on every Friday in addition to the Special Adalaths.