Don't refer to trial courts as lower courts or subordinate courts: K'taka HC

Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka has directed appellate courts to avoid referring trial courts as lower courts or subordinate courts in their orders or judgements.

A comminique issued from the office Karnataka Chief Justice Abhay Sreeniwas Oka states: “No court can be lower court or subordinate court. It will be appropriate if the expressions ‘lower court or subordinate courts’ are not used on the administration side, in administrative communications or in the judgments by the appellate courts in the districts.”

Referring to a Law Commission report which says the word ‘subordinate’ in the judicial hierarchy sounds inappropriate, the communication, dated January 17, 2020 instructed to avoid using “lower” or “subordinate” while referring to trial courts.