Supreme Court Asks Madras High Court To Consider Amending Rules To Ensure Cause Title Of Criminal Appeal Reflects State’s Name

The Supreme Court recently directed the Madras High Court to consider amending the High Court Rules to include the name of the state in the cause title of criminal cases.

A bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice Sanjay Karol was considering a criminal special leave petition against a Madras High Court order, when it observed that the SLPs arising from the State of Tamil Nadu do not reflect the name of the state.

Sr. Adv. Nagamuthu pointed out to the court that it was a matter of convention.

The Court was informed that in the Madras High Court also, in the cause title in criminal matters, the State’s name is not shown in the cause title. 

“It is not discernible whether it is a matter of practice or of Rules. But the issue needs to be examined” the Apex Court said. However, the court said that the issue needed to be examined. 

The Court directed the the High Court to consider amending the concerned Rules to resolve the issue.

“.we direct that the Registrar General of the Madras High Court should bring this order to the notice of the learned Chief Justice in order to consider whether appropriate amendments in the Rules should be made, if there is no other impediment, to avoid the afore-noted omission in the cause title of cases” the order stated.

Case Title: ILAMARAN V. THE STATE REP. BY THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE

Citation : 2023 LiveLaw (SC) 967

Click here to read/download order