Between the gate and the witness box
Advice about court dress usually stops at the shirt and the saree. The harder questions are practical. What happens to your bag and phone? Where do you sit? Do you stand when the judge enters? Can you leave once your matter is called? Getting these wrong is noticed more than the wrong colour, because they read as unfamiliarity with the room rather than as a wardrobe choice.
At the Calcutta High Court and the district courts in Kolkata you pass a security check at the gate: metal detector, bag scan. Sharp objects, lighters and large bags are best left behind. Carry a slim folder rather than a backpack, and write the case number, court number and your advocate's mobile number inside it — not only in your phone, which may have to be switched off in the courtroom.
Matching the outfit to the errand
| Occasion | What works | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| First hearing or mentioning, High Court | Full-sleeved shirt, formal trousers, closed polished shoes, optional blazer | Half-sleeves with a tie, sports shoes, visible branding |
| Evidence or cross-examination | A plainer version of the same — attention should be on your face and voice | Stiff new clothing you keep adjusting; strong perfume |
| Lok Adalat or mediation centre | Smart-casual formals; a kurta is entirely acceptable | Party wear and heavy jewellery, which signal a posture rather than a settlement |
| Video conference appearance | Collared shirt or saree from the waist up, plain wall behind, light from the front | Bedroom background, ceiling-fan noise, joining from a moving vehicle |
| Witness or accused in custody | Whatever is available; ask the advocate to have a clean set brought | Waiting for the court to supply clothing — it will not |
Etiquette that reads as respect
- Phones off, not silent. A vibrating handset carries in a quiet courtroom.
- Stand when the court is called. On the judge's entry and exit, and when your matter is called, until you are told to sit.
- Address the court, not your opponent. Turning to argue with the other side is the commonest error of first-time litigants.
- Do not approach the dais. Wait to be asked; hand papers through your advocate, not to the clerk.
- Sit where directed. Front benches belong to advocates. If unsure, ask the court officer quietly rather than being moved later.
- Keep your voice level. Anger rarely helps and often gets a matter passed over while order is restored.
Dressing around a working day
Many Kolkata litigants come to court between shifts. If you cannot go home to change, keep a folded shirt and trousers in a plastic cover in your bag, or a spare saree at the office; changing in a court washroom is normal and unremarkable. What does attract comment is arriving in a uniform or in clothing marked with grease and paint. Tell your advocate in advance so the matter is taken up early rather than leaving you in the corridor for three hours.
Footwear deserves its own word. Closed shoes are not only a formality: floors in the older buildings are uneven, corridors are crowded, and you may stand for a long time. Chappals are refused in some courtrooms and unsafe in others. A plain black pair you can walk in is the most useful purchase a litigant makes.
Four questions clients ask before a hearing
Can I wear a religious symbol or head covering? Yes. A turban, hijab, bindi or mangalsutra is not a breach of decorum. The objection is to caps and sunglasses that obscure the face.
Is a kurta with jeans acceptable? In a district court, with closed shoes and a decent kurta, usually yes. At the High Court, no — wear trousers. If you own only one formal outfit, spend on trousers and shoes rather than a jacket.
Does dress affect a bail or custody plea? Not the law of it. But a litigant who arrives unkempt and shouting is remembered, and a magistrate's list is long. Presentation buys a patient hearing, nothing more.
What if I cannot afford formal clothes? Wear the cleanest plain clothes you have and mention it to your advocate. Courts see this daily. A pressed white kurta and closed shoes cost little and read as respectful.
If a hearing is close and you are unsure what a particular Kolkata court expects, send the case details and we will tell you what the room requires.