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

The Supreme Court severely criticized its own Registry for failing to list a case for over three years, despite a clear judicial directive to do so immediately after service of respondents. The bench (Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi) was considering a petition filed in 2022 by a victim of sexual offence challenging a Madras High Court order that had granted bail to the accused. The Supreme Court had, on 13 May 2022, issued notice in that matter and directed the Registry to list it as soon as service was complete. Service was reportedly effected on 30 May 2022, but the case was not listed until 23 September 2025—a delay of over three years. Though by the time of listing the case had become “infructuous” since the High Court quashed the proceedings on account of a settlement, the Court held that administrative delays cannot be brushed aside. It ordered the Registrar (Judicial) to conduct an inquiry within two weeks to identify who was responsible for the failure to list. The Court emphasized that even inactions by its own registry undermine judicial efficacy and accountability.