History
History of the Judiciary of Andaman & Nicobar Islands
The union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands was the Chief Commissioner’s Province and the Chief Commissioner used to function as Additional District & Sessions Judge.
Shri Manmohan Singh Gujral a senior member of the higher judicial services, for the first time took charge of the court of District & Additional Sessions Judge on 22.11.1965. The court at that time started functioning in the building just across the road in front of the present court building. The Executive Magistrate were authorized to discharge the functions of Magistrates of the first class for the purpose of carrying out the different provisions of the code of Criminal Procedure 1895 (Act 5 of 1898).
Shri Manmohan Singh Gujral relinquished charge of office on 13th August, 1966. Shri Kamaleshwar Nath , a senior Member of Higher Judicial Service succeeded Shri Manmohan Singh Gujral as District & Additional Sessions Judge on 2nd September 1966.
The post of District & Additional Sessions Judge was upgraded as District & Sessions Judge with effect from 01.12.1967 and Shri Kamaleshwar Nath was redesignated as District & Sessions Judge with effect from 1st December 1967. Following transfer of Shri Kamaleshwar Nath from 22nd September 1970, Shri S.P.Das Ghosh took charge of the court of District & Sessions Judge with from 18th November 1970. Shri S.P. Das Ghosh held the Office till 5th June 1974 and Shri A. K. Chatterjee succeeded Shri S. P. Das Ghosh as District & Sessions Judge with effect from 6th June 1974.
Act 5 of 1898 was repealed by enactment of the code of criminal procedure 1973 (Act 2 of 1974 with effect) from 25th January 1974. This necessitated separation of judiciary from the executives.
The administration allotted land for construction of court building. The Hon’ble Justice Shankar Prasad Mitra, Chief Justice, High Court Calcutta laid foundation stone of the present court building on 26.02.1973. construction of the court building was completed in the month of April 1975 and the Hon’ble Justice Shankar Prasad Mitra, Chief Justice, High Court Calcutta inaugurated the new court building on 07.04.1975.