'Disturbing' : Supreme Court Slams Registry For 3 Years' Delay In Listing Case, Orders Enquiry

The Supreme Court strongly criticized its Registry for delaying the listing of a case by over three years despite a clear judicial order to list it 'immediately after service.' The Court directed the Registrar (Judicial) to conduct an inquiry into the lapse and submit a report within two weeks identifying the officer responsible."

A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi was hearing the plea filed by the victim of the sexual offence against the Madras High Court's order granting bail to the accused. The petition filed in 2022, was pending when the accused secured a settlement and filed a quashing petition before the High Court under Section 482 CrPC to quash the FIR and criminal proceedings.

In the meantime, when the petition was pending for listing before the Supreme Court, the High Court based on the settlement between the parties had quashed the criminal case against the accused.

The petition came to be listed only on Sep. 23, 2025, which was supposed to be listed soon after the completion of service which was completed on May 30, 2022, i.e., a delay of over three years.

Looking towards the development taken at the High Court level quashing the criminal case, the Court termed the petition to be 'infructuous' but called this a “disturbing factor,” making clear that even administrative lapses within the Court's Registry will not be ignored.

“One disturbing factor is still there that while issuing notice by this Court on 13.05.2022, the Registry was directed to list this matter immediately after service is complete to the respondents. As per the office report, Respondent Nos. 1 and 2 were served on 30.05.2022. Even thereafter, the case is not listed by the Registry.”, the court said.

“The Registrar (Judicial) to hold an enquiry and submit a report in Chambers why the case was not listed for more than three years and three months despite the specific order of this Court and who is responsible for the same. The report be made available in chambers within two weeks.”, the court directed.

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