DMPQ-. What is High court’s supervisory Jurisdiction? What role it plays in state judicial administration.

. A high court has the power of superintendence over all courts and tribunals functioning in its territorial jurisdiction (except military courts or tribunals). Thus, it may:

• call for returns from them;
• Make and issue, general rules and prescribe forms for regulating the practice and proceedings of them;
• prescribe forms in which books, entries and accounts are to be kept by them; and
• settle the fees payable to the sheriff, clerks, officers and legal practitioners of them.

This power of superintendence of a high court is very broad because, (i) it extends to all courts and tribunals whether they are subject to the appellate jurisdiction of the high court or not; (ii) it covers not only administrative superintendence but also judicial superintendence; (iii) it is a revisional jurisdiction; and (iv) it can be suo-motu (on its own) and not necessarily on the application of a party.

However, this power does not vest the high court with any unlimited authority over the subordinate courts and tribunals. It is an