india rules-of-court indian-constitutional-law writ-of-mandamus
Can a writ of mandamus be filed in any Indian High Court?
<p>I am planning to file a writ of mandamus in an Indian High Court against a Government statutory body. Can it be filed in any High Court or is it necessary to file it in a specific High Court within whose jurisdiction the Government body rests?</p>

<p><strong>Can a writ of mandamus be filed in any Indian High Court?</strong></p>
<p><strong>NO</strong>, Either the respondent or the cause of action has to be in the High Court's jurisdiction. See clauses 1 and 2 of <a href="https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1712542/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Article 226</a> of the Indian Constitution respectively:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(1) ... every High Court shall have powers, throughout the territories in relation to which it exercise jurisdiction, to issue to ... <strong>any Government within those territories</strong> directions ... including writs in the nature of ... mandamus ...</p>
<p>(2) The power conferred by clause ( 1 ) to issue ... writs to any Government ... may also be exercised by any High Court exercising jurisdiction <strong>in relation to the territories within which the cause of action, wholly or in part, arises</strong> for the exercise of such power, notwithstanding that the seat of such Government ... is not within those territories</p>
</blockquote>
