SC Holds Registry Accountable for Unexplained Deletion of Cases
Isabella Mariam
The Supreme Court has issued a stern reminder to its own Registry, demanding an explanation for the recent deletion of cases from the cause list without prior notice to the Judges. On January 22, 2025, a bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and N. Kotiswar Singh expressed their dissatisfaction with the Registry's failure to follow their directions in listing the cases before the bench.
The case in question involved a petition where State of Uttar Pradesh is the petitioner, which was unexpectedly removed from the hearing list, prompting the bench to question the Registry's actions. “Once a case is included in the daily cause list, it cannot be deleted without valid reason,” the bench noted in its order. Justice Oka further emphasized that this was not an isolated incident, pointing to previous instances of similar irregularities.
The bench made it clear that judges spent significant time and effort in preparing for cases, making it crucial for the Registry to provide advance notice if a case needs to be removed for any legitimate reason. In response, the court directed the Registrar (Judicial) to submit a detailed report justifying the deletion of the case by February 3, 2025.
This is not the first time Justice Oka has raised concerns over the Registry’s actions. In December 2024, he led a bench that reprimanded the Registry for failing to list six petitions as ordered by the court. The Registry had withheld the petitions due to procedural issues, specifically related to service of notice. Justice Oka clarified that the Registry cannot disregard court orders, particularly when specific directions for listing have been issued.
Previously, in September 2024, Justice Oka had questioned the Registry's unilateral decision to change a hearing date without judicial approval, demanding a report on this unapproved alteration. The issue was eventually resolved after Registry officials admitted to their mistake following an internal review.
Earlier in August 2024, Justice Oka had also stressed the importance of accountability, requiring the Registry to provide clear explanations whenever a case ordered to be listed was not included in the cause list. “The Registry must justify why a court-ordered listing has not been followed,” Justice Oka stated in his August order.
Under Article 146 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court Registry is managed by the Secretary General, who is accountable to the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The Registry’s responsibility includes maintaining court records, scheduling cases, and ensuring compliance with court procedures. The team is composed of several registrars, deputy registrars, and branch officers, all working under the guidance of the Secretary General.
The case will now be listed on 3rd February, 2025, for considering the report of the Registrar (Judicial) and for directions.
Cause Title : The State of Uttar Pradesh Vs. Anup Singh
Case No : SLP(Crl) No. 10642/2019
Bench: Justices Abhay S. Oka and N. Kotiswar Singh
[Read/Download Order]
