The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971
10. Power of High Court to punish contempt’s of subordinate courts –
Every High Court shall have and exercise the same jurisdiction, powers and authority, in accordance with the same procedure and practice, in respect of contempt’s of courts subordinate to it and it has and exercise in respect of contempt’s of itself.
Provided that no High Court shall take cognizance of a contempt alleged to have been committed in respect of a court subordinate to it where such contempt is an offence punishable under the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860).
COMMENTS
The phrase “courts subordinate to it” used in section 10 is wide enough to include all courts which are judicially subordinate to the High Court even though administrative control over them under Article 235 of the Constitution does not vest in the High Court; S.K. Sarkar, Member, Board of Revenue, U.P. Lucknow v. Vinay Chandra Mishra, 1981 Cr LJ 283 (286).
The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971