The Kohima Bench of the Gauhati High Court was inaugurated as a Circuit Bench on 1st December 1972. The inaugural function was attended by the then Chief Minister of Nagaland Dr. Hokishe Sema, the Hon’ble Mr. Justice M.C. Pathak and the Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sarma, the then Advocate General Mr. S.K. Gosh and a host of other dignitaries along with members of the Bar and the legal fraternity.

In exercise of the power conferred by sub- section (2) of section 31 of the North Eastern Areas (Reorganisation Act, 1971 (81 of 1971), the President of India, after consultation with the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court and the Governor of Nagaland was pleased to declare a Permanent Bench with the strength of 2 (two) permanent station Judges at Kohima. Thereafter by Notification No. GSR.73(E) dated 7-2-1990, the Kohima Bench of the Gauhati High Court was declared a Permanent Bench. The Permanent Bench known as the Kohima Bench was subsequently inaugurated by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Subyasachi Mukherji, the then Chief Justice of India on the 10th February 1990.

The foundation stone for a new High Court of Nagaland was laid on the 21st May 2007 by Hon’ble Shri Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, the then Chief Justice of India in the presence of Dr. H.R Bhardwaj, the then Hon’ble Union Minister of Law & Justice, Shri Neiphiu Rio, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland, Hon’ble Shri Justice H.K. Sema, Judge Supreme Court of India and Hon’ble Shri Justice Jasti Chelameswar, the then Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court at Meriema on the outskirts of Kohima.