The Supreme Court today found itself at odds with its own Registry over the listing of a crucial matter involving Adani Power Rajasthan Ltd. The bench, comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and PV Sanjay Kumar, pulled up the Registry on Tuesday for its failure to list the case despite a specific judicial order to do so.

The matter came to light during the oral mentioning round, where Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, representing Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JVVNL) in the case against Adani Power, expressed concern over the non-listing of the Adani Power matter. Dave revealed that despite clear instructions to post the case on that day, officials from the Registry claimed to have instructions not to list it.

"What is worrying is that some members of the staff have bypassed the judicial order directing the listing of the civil appeal," Justice Abhay S Oka noted in a recent incident, emphasizing the recurrent nature of the problem.

Dave raised a pertinent question during the proceedings, highlighting the seriousness of the Registry's defiance of the court's orders. He pointed out that while the government's disregard for court orders could be treated as contempt, the Registry's non-compliance should be viewed just as seriously.

In response to the raised concerns, the bench assured Dave that it would thoroughly investigate the issue. Subsequently, a senior Registry official was summoned to the court for a closed-door discussion with the judges. After deliberation, the bench directed that the matter be listed as the first item on the following day, Wednesday, January 24.

This incident is not an isolated one. Last week, a different bench, led by Justice Abhay S Oka, expressed dismay over a civil appeal not being listed on the specified Thursday, as directed, but rather on a Friday. The bench noted the concerning fact that some staff members seemed to have bypassed the judicial order.

In a previous instance, Justice Oka had rebuked the Registry for attempting to shift blame onto court masters for non-compliance with the court's orders, deeming it a 'very sorry state of affairs.'

The recurrent failure of the Registry to adhere to judicial directives has raised eyebrows within the legal fraternity, prompting the Supreme Court to address the issue sternly.

Case: Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited vs. Adani Power Rajasthan Limited

Diary No. 21994-2022.