The High Court of Punjab and Haryana has its principal seat at Chandigarh, in a building designed by Le Corbusier

Background

One High Court serves the two States of Punjab and Haryana, and its principal seat is at Chandigarh, in Sector 1 of the city. Its predecessor, the High Court of judicature at Lahore, was established by Letters Patent dated March 20, 1919 for the provinces of Punjab and Delhi, and the Chief Court of Punjab was abolished on its establishment. After independence the High Court at Lahore ceased to have jurisdiction over Delhi and East Punjab, and the East Punjab High Court of judicature was established at Shimla on August 15, 1947. The seat was later moved because of the inclement weather at Shimla in winter, and the Court started functioning at Chandigarh from its present building with effect from January 17, 1955; Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru formally declared it open on March 19, 1955. The plan of the building was designed by the French Architect Le Corbusier. By the States Re-organisation Act, 1956 the State of Pepsu, the Patiala and East Punjab State Union, was merged in the State of Punjab, the Judges of the Pepsu High Court became Judges of the Punjab High Court, and the strength of the Court rose from 8 Judges to 13. When Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh came into existence from November 1st, 1966, the High Court of Punjab was renamed the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, and it has worked in that form since.