The Calcutta High Court also has jurisdiction over the Union territory of:

The Calcutta High Court has jurisdiction over the state of West Bengal and the Union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Bench at Port Blair:

• The Calcutta High Court has a circuit bench at Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, so that people there do not have to travel to Kolkata.
• It also has a circuit bench at Jalpaiguri for north Bengal.

History of the Calcutta High Court:

• It is the oldest High Court in India.
• It was established in 1862 under the Indian High Courts Act, 1861, replacing the Supreme Court at Fort William and the Sadar courts.
• Its first Chief Justice was Sir Barnes Peacock.
• Sir Romesh Chandra Mitter was the first Indian to officiate as its Chief Justice.

Jurisdiction over Union territories by other High Courts:

• Lakshadweep: Kerala High Court.
• Puducherry: Madras High Court.
• Chandigarh: Punjab and Haryana High Court.
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu: Bombay High Court.
• Ladakh: High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
• Delhi: its own High Court.

Why Union territories are attached to High Courts:

• Most Union territories are small in area and population and do not need a separate High Court.
• The jurisdiction of the High Court of a nearby state is extended to them.

About the Andaman and Nicobar Islands:

• They are a group of about 570 islands in the Bay of Bengal.
• Port Blair, now called Sri Vijaya Puram, is the capital.
• The Cellular Jail, where many freedom fighters were imprisoned, is located there.
• The islands have strategic importance because they lie close to important sea routes.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Lakshadweep is under the Kerala High Court.
• ✗Puducherry is under the Madras High Court.
• ✗Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu are under the Bombay High Court.