Supreme Court Orders Inclusion of High Court Registrar General in Ongoing Proceedings

Registrar General's Report Deemed Crucial; Notice Issued for Amended Cause Title in Criminal Proceedings

In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India has ordered the inclusion of the Registrar General of the High Court of Judicature at Madras as a party to the ongoing criminal proceedings in the case of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam v. P.H. Dinesh and others. The decision was made on December 12, 2025, by a bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi.

The Supreme Court was adjudicating a series of petitions, including Special Leave Petitions and Writ Petitions in criminal matters, when it encountered a report filed by the Registrar General of the High Court. The bench, after reviewing the report, recognized its significance to the case at hand and decided that the Registrar General should be made a party to the proceedings. Consequently, the court ordered the amendment of the cause title and issued a notice to the Registrar General.

This development underscores the importance of the Registrar General's report in the adjudication process, as it may contain crucial information pertinent to the resolution of the case. The court has granted liberty to the parties involved to file counter-affidavits and rejoinders within two weeks, allowing them to address the contents of the Registrar General’s report.

The Supreme Court has directed that the report be furnished to the counsel representing the parties to ensure transparency and enable them to prepare adequately for the next hearing. The case has been scheduled for listing on a non-miscellaneous day on February 3, 2026.

The decision highlights the procedural flexibility of the court to include additional parties in proceedings when their input is deemed essential for the fair and just resolution of a matter. This move is expected to streamline the proceedings by incorporating all relevant insights from the High Court's administration.

Bottom Line:

Registrar General of the High Court can be joined as a party to proceedings if their report is crucial for adjudication.

Statutory provision(s): - Criminal Procedure (related to the inclusion of parties in proceedings)

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam v. P.H. Dinesh, (SC) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2821598