Write a short note on jurisdiction of High Courts.

Jurisdiction of High Court:

(i) The High Court shall have powers to issue order and writs in the nature of Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Certiorari, Prohibition and Quo-Warranto for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights and for any other purpose. While the Supreme Court can issue orders, directions and writs only for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights (Part III of the Constitution), the High Courts are empowered to issue orders, directions and writs for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights as well as for any other purpose.

(ii) The original jurisdiction of the High Courts also extends to matters of administration, probate, matrimonial, contempt of court and cases ordered to be transferred from a lower court involving the interpretation of the Constitution to its own file.

(iii) The High Courts of Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai exercise original civil jurisdictions when the amount involved is more than two thousand rupees. In criminal cases, it extends to cases committed to them by Presidency Magistrates.

(iv) The High Courts of Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai have the original jurisdiction as they had before the enforcement of the new Constitutions on straight way cases involving the hearing Christians and the Parsis.