munsiff

A Munsiff is a judicial officer presiding over the lowest civil court in a district. The term is of Mughal and colonial origin. In Karnataka the Munsiff's courts were redesignated as courts of Civil Judge (Junior Division), and appeals from them lie to the District Court or the Senior Civil Judge, depending on value.

The pecuniary jurisdiction of these courts is fixed by the State's civil courts legislation and is revised from time to time. Students often see the old name in older judgments and textbooks; it refers to the same tier of court.

Example

The suit for the boundary dispute valued at Rs 2 lakh was filed in the court of the Munsiff, now the Civil Judge (Junior Division).

In Indian law

• Karnataka Civil Courts Act, 1964

See also

jurisdiction · magistrate · mofussil · suit

Read more in the study notes

• Hierarchy of civil and criminal courts in India (Legal Methods)