Supreme Court Slams Registry Over Missing Files, Orders Secretary General to Submit Report
(Judicial Quest News Network)
New Delhi 1 August, 2024
In a recent session, the Supreme Court of India expressed severe frustration over missing case files that disrupted proceedings. Justices JK Maheshwari and Rajesh Bindal were forced to spend an hour dealing with the absence of crucial documents during a contempt petition hearing involving 43 connected cases.
The court was presented with one book of documents, but the second essential volume was missing. Despite efforts from the staff, including the Additional Registrar from concerned sections, the missing documents could not be located within the initial 45 minutes. Consequently, the court had to call in the registrars, but even they failed to resolve the issue promptly.
Due to this lapse, the court has requested that the Secretary General conduct a thorough investigation and submit a detailed report within 10 days. The report should identify the responsible individuals and outline the failings in the registry’s handling of the documents. The matter will be reviewed again on August 6.
This incident is not an isolated case. Justice Maheshwari has previously criticized the registry for procedural lapses, such as failing to adhere to proper listing procedures. In January, Justice Abhay S. Oka pointed out the mishandling of a Civil Appeal’s listing, and last year, Justice Oka had reprimanded the registry for shifting the blame onto court masters for non-compliance with orders, labelling the situation as a “sorry state of affairs.” The Supreme Court’s stern action underscores the need for accountability and efficiency within the court’s administrative processes.
