ABOUT DISTRICT COURT

Sambalpur is known as the‘Heart’ of western Odisha. The history of Sambalpur is filled in rich heritage and culture. The presence of Judiciary in Sambalpur is from very long ago and it can be known after careful study of the history of Sambalpur. At the beginning of 20th Century Bengal Presidency was a vast Province including the state of Assam, Bihar & Odisha. In the year 1910, the Manbhum-Sambalpur Judgeship & Sessions Division was opened consisting of districts of Manbhum, Singhbhum and Sambalpur with it’s headquarter at Purulia in Bihar under the Jurisdiction of Calcutta High Court. The District & Sessions Judge was coming to Sambalpur once in every fortnight for Circuit Court. On 09-02-1916, Patna High Court was established and Odisha was placed under the jurisdiction of Patna High Court. The Court room of District Magistrate was opened in the year 1924-25, when F.C. King was the Deputy Commissioner at Sambalpur. After the creation of a separate state of Orissa in the year 1936, a new Judgeship named District & Sessions Judge Cuttack-Sambalpur was came into force with its head quarter at Cuttack, under the jurisdiction of Patna High Court. After the creation of Orissa High Court at Cuttack on 26-07-1948, in the year 1948, a new Judgeship named as Sambalpur-Sundergarh was created with headquarter at Sambalpur. On 1st May 1961 separation of Judiciary from the Executive took place. Again Sundergarh Judgeship was bifurcated from Sambalpur Judgeship on 01-04-1978. After the bifurcation of Revenue Districts from 13 to 30 in the state, there was a need for creation of more Judgeships in the state. Due to this reason Judgeship of Bargarh was bifurcated on 12-07-2011 and Judgeship of Jharsuguda was bifurcated on 24-09-2011 and Judgeship of Deogarh was bifurcated on 20-04-2013 from the parent Sambalpur Judgeship.