Chapter III JURISDICTION

(1) The State Government shall, in consultation with the High Court, and subject to the provisions of section 4 and section 6 of this Act, fix and may from time to time vary, by notification, the local limits of the jurisdiction of any District Court or Court of a Senior Civil Judge under this Act. (2) The State Government shall, in consultation with the High Court, fix and may from time to time vary by notification the local limits of jurisdiction of any Court of a Civil Judge under this Act. (3) Until notifications are issued under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the existing local limits of jurisdiction of every Civil Court shall be deemed to have been fixed under this Act. (4) Where the local limits of the jurisdiction of any District Court, Court of a Senior Civil Judge or Court of a Civil Judge is varied by a notification issued under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the High Court may make such orders as it may consider necessary for the transfer of suits, applications, appeals and other proceedings pending in any such court.

(1) The District Court shall be deemed to be the principal Civil Court of original jurisdiction within the local limits of its jurisdiction. (2) Subject to the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Central Act 5 of 1908), the jurisdiction of a District Court shall extend to all original suits and proceedings of a civil nature.

The District Court shall, subject to the general control of the High Court, have control over all other Civil Courts within the local limits of its jurisdiction.

The jurisdiction of the Court of a Senior Civil Judge shall extend to all original suits and proceedings of a civil nature.

The jurisdiction of a Court of a Civil Judge shall extend to all original suits and proceedings of a civil nature, not otherwise excluded from the Civil Judge jurisdiction, of which the amount or value of the subject-matter does not exceed five lakh rupees

Appeals from the decrees and orders passed by a District Court in original suits and proceedings of a civil nature shall, when such appeals are allowed by law, lie to the High Court.

Appeals from the decrees and orders passed by a Senior Civil Judge in original suits and proceedings of a civil nature, shall, when such appeals are allowed by law, lie,— (1) to the District Court, when the amount or value of the subject-matter of the original suit or proceeding does not exceed ten lakh rupees; (2) to the High Court, in other cases.

Appeals from the decrees and orders passed by a Civil Judge in original suits and proceedings of a civil nature, shall, when such appeals are allowed by law, lie to the Court of a Senior Civil Judge.

[Alternative / Substituted Version (Not yet brought into force)]: 20. Appeals from Munsiff.- (1) Appeals from the decrees and orders passed by a Munsiff in original suits and proceedings of a civil nature, shall, when such appeals are allowed by law, lie,- (i) to the Court of the Civil Judge, when the amount or value of the subject matter of the original suit or proceedings is not more than five thousand rupees; (ii) to the District Court, in other cases. (2) Not withstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), but subject to the general or special orders of the High Court, the District Court may, at any stage, withdraw any appeal pending before a Court of the Civil Judge subordinate to it and dispose of the same, and in respect of such appeal, the District Court shall, for the purpose of this Act, be deemed to be the competent appellate Court

The High Court may, by notification, invest any Judge of the Court of Small Causes established under the Karnataka Small Causes Courts Act, 1964, with powers to hear appeals from such decrees and orders of Courts of a Civil Judges as may be referred to him by the District Judge.

(1) The High Court, may by notification, invest within such limits, as it shall from time to time, determine, the court of a Senior civil Judge with jurisdiction for the trial of suits cognizable by a court of small causes up to two lakhs rupees in Bangalore city and one lakh rupees in other places.

(2) The High Court, may by notification, withdraw or alter, whenever it thinks fit, such jurisdiction of the court of the Senior civil judge so invested.

(1) The High Court may, by notification, invest any Senior Civil Judge within such local limits and subject to such pecuniary limitation as may be specified in such notification, with all or any of the powers of a District Judge or a District Court, as the case may be, under the following Acts, namely:—

(i) The Indian Divorce Act, 1869 (Central Act 4 of 1869);

(ii) The Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 (Central Act 8 of 1890);

(iii) The Indian Lunacy Act, 1912 (Central Act 4 of 1912);

(iv) x x x

(v) The Special Marriage Act, 1954 (Central Act 43 of 1954).

(2) Every order made by a Senior Civil Judge by virtue of the powers conferred upon him under sub-section (1) shall be subject to appeal,—

(i) to the District Court, when the amount or value of the subject matter is less than twenty thousand rupees;

(ii) to the High Court, in other cases.

(3) Every order of the District Judge passed on appeal under sub-section (2) from the order of a Senior Civil Judge shall be subject to an appeal to the High Court under the rules contained in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, applicable to appeals from appellate decrees.

(1) The High Court may, by notification, invest any Senior Civil Judge or Civil Judge, within such local limits and subject to such pecuniary and other limitations as may be specified in such notification, with all or any of the powers of a District Judge under the Indian Succession Act, 1925 (Central Act 39 of 1925).

(2) Any Senior Civil Judge or Civil Judge invested with powers under sub-section (1) shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the District Judge in the exercise of the powers conferred by the said Act upon the District Judge, and the provisions of the said Act relating to the District Judge shall apply to such Senior Civil Judge or Civil Judge, as the case may be, as if he were the District Judge:

Provided that every order made by the Senior Civil Judge or the Civil Judge by virtue of the powers conferred upon him under sub-section (1) shall be subject to appeal,—

(i) to the Court of Senior Civil Judge when the order is passed by the Civil Judge;

(ii) to the District Court where the order is passed by a Senior Civil Judge.

(3) Every order passed on appeal under the proviso to sub-section (2) shall be subject to appeal to the High Court under the rules contained in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, applicable to appeals from appellate decrees.

(1) No District Judge, Senior Civil Judge or Civil Judge shall try any suit to or in which he is a party or personally interested, or shall adjudicate upon any proceedings connected with or arising out of such suit.

(2) No District Judge, Senior Civil Judge or Judge of the Court of Small Causes shall try any appeal against any decree or order passed by himself in any other capacity.

(3) When any such suit, proceeding or appeal comes before any such Judge or Civil Judge, he shall report the circumstances to the Court to which he is immediately subordinate.

(4) The superior Court shall thereupon dispose of the case in the manner prescribed by section 24 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Central Act 5 of 1908).