History

Chamba is situated in the lap of majestic Western Himalaya. Chamba district is stretched between upper Ravi and Chandrabhaga valleys between north altitude 32 o 11” 30” and 32 o 13′ 6” and east longitude 75 o 49′ O” and 77 o 3′ 30”. It is bounded on the north-west and west by Jammu and Kashmir; on the north-east and east by Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir and Lahaul and Bara Bangahal areas of Himachal Pradesh; on the south-east and south by the district of Kangra of Himachal Pradesh, and Gurdaspur district of Punjab. During the old regime the ruler of the state was the fountain -head of justice. He used to appoint judges, magistrates and Munsifs and also to function as the last court of appeal and when ever he choose, as the court of unrestricted and unlimited original jurisdiction too. The authority of conferment and with holding of all judicial and criminal powers and fixation of pecuniary as well as territorial jurisdiction vested in him. After the advent of British rule, however, death sentences passed by the ruler were subject to the confirmation by the commissioner of Lahaul who was also competent to inspect the Court. After the merger, territory of Chamba Estate was formed into the full fledged separate District and court of Ld. Sub–Judge was established. Sh. Dhani Ram was the first Sub Judge posted in this Court. In the year,1960 Sh. Bansi Dhar Sharma was posted as Senior Subordinate Judge-cum- Assistant Sessions Judge Chamba . He remained as such till 1962. Thereafter, Sh. H.D Kainthla, Sh. C.S Sautha, Sh. A.N Bhoil, Sh. S.S Mittal remained posted as Senior Sub Judge-cum- Assistant Sessions Judge Chamba. Sh. C.S Sautha was again posted as Senior Sub Judge- Assistant Sessions Judge, Chamba on 11.10.1971. Before 1966 Chamba was part of Mandi Civil and Sessions Division and Distt. Judge, Mandi used to hold circuit Court at Chamba after interval of 2-3 months to hear the Appeals preferred against the judgments of Senior Sub Judge, Chamba. Highest court of original appellate and revisional powers and jurisdiction within the union territory of Himachal Pradesh lies with the Judicial Commissioner, Himachal Pradesh at Shimla. On 01.11.1966 when re-organisation of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana was done, Dalhousie and Bakloh Cantonment areas were merged with Chamba District and Kangra District was made part of Himachal Pradesh. A new Kangra Civil and Sessions Division was created and Chamba District became a part of Kangra Civil and Sessions Division. The District and Sessions Judge, Kangra at Dharamshala started holding circuit Court at Chamba to hear the Appeals and other criminal matters pertaining to this District. One Court of Sub Judge was created in the year,1974 at Dalhousie which started functioning w.e.f. 1.10.1974. Sh. Surjeet Singh, now Hon’ble Judge of Himachal Pradesh High Court was the first Sub Judge posted at Dalhousie. The Court of Sub Judge, Chamba (now Civil Judge junior Division) was created on 27.7.1976. Sh. Moti Ram Chohan was the first Sub Judge posted in this Court. The court of District and Sessions Judge, Chamba was established on and w.e.f. 01.9.1987. Sh. K.C Sood, now retired Judge of Hon’ble High Court of H.P took over as first District and Sessions Judge, Chamba on 01.9.1987. thereafter, the Court of Addl. District and Sessions Judge ( Fast Track Court) Chamba was established on 30.12.2003. The Court of Civil Judge cum JMIC Tissa was created on 11.04.2019. Sh. Parth Jain was the first Civil Judge cum JMIC posted at Tissa. Now, there are 6 Judicial Courts in Chamba District.