Allahabad High Court Directs Registry To Launch Enquiry Into Manipulation Of Electronic Listing Of Matters
The Allahabad High Court was considering a Writ-Petition seeking to quash an order.
The Allahabad High Court has directed the Registry to launch an enquiry into the manipulation in the electronic mechanism of listing cases causing the cases to be listed before bench without jurisdiction.
The Court was considering a Writ-Petition seeking to quash an order.
The single-bench of Justice Vikram D. Chauhan observed, "The matter is very serious. The Registrar General shall himself hold an enquiry and he will not authorize any other officer to hold an enquiry in this respect. Registrar General being head of the office is primarily responsible to oversee that the employees do not tamper with the jurisdiction of the Court by placing the matter before another Court."
The Petitioner was represented by Advocate Amit Saxena while the Respondent was represented by Advocate A.K. Misra.
When the matter was taken up, it was informed by the Bench Secretary that although the jurisdiction to entertain the Writ-Petition is with this Court, however, listing application was placed before the co-ordinate Bench of this Court and coordinate Bench of this Court directed to list with previous papers.
The Court was informed that although the jurisdiction to hear the Writ-Petition is with this Court, it is not known as to how listing application was directed to place before the co-ordinate Bench of this Court. It was also informed that in several matters listing applications are being sent to different Courts who have no jurisdiction to entertain the Writ Petition and the orders are being passed for listing of the cases and the matter is listed before this Court.
Noting that now the computerization has taken place and new software has been put in place, the Court pointed out that the software follows the jurisdictional Court of the original case.
"In view of the aforesaid, Registrar General of this Court is directed to hold an enquiry and submit a report as to how listing application dated 10.2.2025 was placed before a co-ordinate Bench of this Court although the jurisdiction of the case vests with this Court. Registrar General shall also submit a report whether Bench I.D. in the computer data base was changed by any employee of the institution. In the event, the Bench I.D. in computer data base was changed then the authority under which the aforesaid Bench I.D. was changed so that listing application be placed before the Court, which has no jurisdiction to hear the original writ petition. Bench Secretary has further informed that such a situation has arisen in respect of number of matters," the Court directed.
The Court held Registrar General to be responsible for smooth operation of the listing of the cases and the application filed in the pending cases.
"It is the duty of the Registry to place the application filed by parties in pending cases before the Court having jurisdiction of the original case unless there is an order of Hon'ble the Chief Justice to place before another Bench. The change of Bench I.D. without proper permission of Hon'ble the Chief Justice is, prima facie, amounts to interference in the administration of justice. Co-ordinate Bench of this Court cannot direct another co-ordinate Bench to hear the case on a particular date as each Court is master of the jurisdiction. Even otherwise placing of listing application before another Court, who has no jurisdiction to entertain the original writ petition would amount to tampering or violating the Constitution of the different Benches as has been ordered by Hon'ble the Chief Justice," the Court observed.
Cause Title: Naresh Chand Jain And Others vs. Ghaziabad Development Authority And Another
Appearances:
Petitioner- Advocate Amit Saxena, Advocate Santosh Tripathi
Respondent- Advocate A.K. Misra, Advocate Aditya Singh, Advocate Pradeep Kumar Tripathi
