The Karnataka High Court is the High Court of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located in Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka. The High Court has jurisdiction over the entire state of Karnataka and its decisions are binding on all courts within the state. It was established in 1884 and is currently the 8th highest court in India in terms of pendency of cases. The High Court is headed by the Chief Justice and has a number of other judges, who are appointed by the President of India.
The Karnataka High Court has delivered several landmark judgements over the years, some of which include:
In the year 2011, the High Court passed a judgement in the case of “Dr. K. Shivaram v. State of Karnataka” in which it held that the right to education is a fundamental right and that the state has the duty to provide free and compulsory education to children between the ages of 6 and 14.
In the year 2013, the High Court passed a judgement in the case of “People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) v. State of Karnataka” in which it held that the state government’s decision to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu was unconstitutional as it violated the rights of farmers in Karnataka.
In the year 2016, the High Court passed a judgement in the case of “S.R. Bommai v. Union of India” in which it held that the President’s rule imposed on a state can be set aside if the governor’s report is found to be not true and that the court can examine the material on which the president’s rule has been imposed.
In the year 2020, the High Court passed a judgement in the case of “Indian Young Lawyers Association & Ors. v. State of Kerala & Ors” in which it held that the Sabarimala temple tradition of not allowing women of menstruating age to enter the temple is discriminatory and violative of their right to worship.
In the year 2021, the High Court passed a judgement in the case of “Karnataka State Judicial Employees House Building Cooperative Society Ltd. v. State of Karnataka” in which it held that the prohibition on the sale of liquor within 500 meters of National and State highways is also applicable to bars, pubs, and wine shops