At the top of the Indian Judicial system is the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice of India and a maximum strength of 25 other judges.
The Chief Justice is appointed by the President of India in consultation with other judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts. Generally, the senior most judge of the Supreme Court is appointed as the Chief Justice.
Panchayat courts also function in some states under various names like Nyaya Panchayat or Panchayat Adalat to decide civil and criminal disputes of petty nature.
Each State is divided into judicial districts presided over by a district judge. Below the District Judge there are courts of civil jurisdiction known as munsiffs, sub-judge. The criminal judiciary consists of the Chief Judicial Magistrate and judicial magistrates of first and second class. Above the subordinate courts is the High Court and above the High Courts is the Apex or the Supreme Court.
