The High Courts of India are the highest courts of appeal in each state. With reference to the High Courts of India, answer the following questions:

(i) What is meant by the term Original Jurisdiction of the High Court? Mention any two cases which fall under this jurisdiction.

(ii) Mention any two advantages of the Lok Adalat. Mention any one difference between the Sessions Court and the Court of the District Judge.

(iii) Explain the following with reference to the High Court:
(a) Revisory Jurisdiction
(b) Court of Record

(i) High Courts have original jurisdiction, that is, the power to hear and decide cases at the first instance. It has original jurisdiction in the following cases:

1. Matters relating to State revenue and its collection.
2. Cases regarding wills, divorce, marriage, company law and contempt of court may be referred or brought before the High Court directly.

(ii) Two advantages of the Lok Adalat are:

1. Lok Adalats deliver fast and inexpensive justice. Any person can move Lok Adalat by an application on a plain paper or using the format available with Legal Service Authorities and expect speedy justice.
2. The Lok Adalats reduce the workload of other courts enabling them to deal with more serious matters. This reduces delays in higher courts.

Sessions Court decides Criminal cases while the Court of the District Judge decides civil cases.

(iii) (a) Revisory Jurisdiction — Revisory Jurisdiction means that the High Court can call for the record of a case which has been decided by a subordinate court. This is done because the High Court feels that the Subordinate Court has exercised a jurisdiction not vested in it or the latter has not followed proper procedure.
Therefore, the High Court can review the case and take appropriate action on it. This is known as the Revisory Jurisdiction of the High Court.

(b) Court of Record — The High Court is a 'Court of Record' like the Supreme Court. It means:

1. All the judgements and orders are preserved as a record to be referred to by its courts in future cases. They can be produced as precedents.
2. The law laid down by the High Court is binding on all subordinate courts in the State concerned. But it does not bind the other High Courts, although it is of great significance and can be produced in support of an argument.
3. The High Court can punish anyone who commits a contempt of its orders.