Wasted More Than An Hour: Apex Court Seeks Report From Secretary General After Court Staff Could Not Trace Documents During Hearing

After having spent more than an hour to trace the relevant files/documents, a Bench of the Supreme Court directed the Secretary General of the Court to examine the lapses and submit a report within ten days in Chamber. 

During the hearing, the Bench of Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice Rajesh Bindal noted, "Today at serial no. 50, total connected cases listed are up to serial no. 50.43. When the first case, “Baidya Nath Choudhary VS Dr. Sree Surendra Kumar Singh” was taken up, only first paper book was available. Second paper book was not available. Learned counsel for the petitioner referred to written arguments, I.As., replies, etc., which again were not traceable."

The Court called several staff members from the concerned sections to assist in tracing the necessary documents, including Additional Registrar R.K. Rakheja and Assistant Registrars Renu Kapoor, R.C. Uppal, Anand Sagar, and other court assistants. Despite their efforts, after a 45-minute search, the relevant documents remained missing, preventing the court from hearing the case.

"In the compelling situation, we called Mr. Pavanesh D., Registrar and Mr. Santosh Kumar, Registrar to the Court. They were also not in a position to assist the Court. The output was none despite wasting more than one hour as the relevant file(s)/document(s) could not be traced for hearing," the Court said in its order dated July 23. 

Accordingly, the Bench ordered, "We request the Secretary General to examine the lapses and submit a report in this regard within ten days in the Chamber. Re-list on 6th August, 2024 at 2.00 p.m.. All the 44 cases should be arranged and placed for hearing on the next date. In the report it should be specified who are the person(s) at fault."

Cause Title: Baidya Nath Choudhary v. Dr. Sree Surendra Kumar Singh [CONMT.PET.(C) No. 1188/2018 in C.A. No. 2703/2017 & Ors.]

Click here to read/download the Order