Madras High Court
| Madras High Court | |
|---|---|
| Chennai Uyarneethi Mandram | |
Madras High Court building | |
Interactive map of Madras High Court | |
| 13°05′12.8″N 80°17′16.4″E / 13.086889°N 80.287889°E | |
| Established | 26 June 1862 |
| Jurisdiction | Tamil Nadu and Puducherry |
| Location | Chennai (primary bench) Madurai (additional bench) |
| Coordinates | 13°05′12.8″N 80°17′16.4″E / 13.086889°N 80.287889°E |
| Motto | Satyameva Jayate |
| Composition method | Presidential with confirmation of Chief Justice of India and Governor of respective state |
| Authorised by | Constitution of India |
| Appeals to | Supreme Court of India |
| Appeals from | Subordinate courts of Tamil Nadu |
| Judge term length | Mandatory retirement at age 62 |
| Number of positions | 75 |
| Language | English, Tamil |
| Website | hcmadras |
| Chief Justice | |
| Currently | S. A. Dharmadhikari |
| Since | 6 March 2026 |
| This article is part of a series on |
| Judiciary of India |
|---|
| Law of India |
The Madras High Court is an Indian high court that has appellate jurisdiction over the state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry. It also exercises original jurisdiction over the city of Chennai, and for the issue of writs under the Constitution of India. It is located in Chennai, with an additional bench at Madurai.
The Madras High Court was one of the three charter high courts established by the letters patent granted by the English crown on 26 June 1862, and replaced the Supreme Court of Madras, which had exercised jurisdiction over the city since 1817. It is one of the oldest high courts established in India. After the Indian independence, the high court was recognised as one of the appellate authorities as laid down by the Constitution of India adopted on 26 January 1950.
From 1862 to 1892, the High Court functioned in a makeshift building. The primary court complex in Chennai, was officially inaugurated on 12 July 1892, and is one of the largest in the world. The Madurai bench was established on 24 July 2004, and functions from a dedicated court complex in Madurai. The court has a sanctioned strength of 75 judges including the Chief Justice.