MADURAI: Madras high court imposed a cost of Rs25,000 on a sub-registrar of Tuticorin district for refusing to register a sale deed despite an earlier order to register it. The court also directed the sub-registrar to register the deed within 15 days.
The court was hearing the petition filed by Pandi, who stated that the Kadambus sub-registrar refused to register his sale deed of a property on the ground that the parent document was not produced. Based on a petition filed by Pandi, the court had set aside the refusal order and directed the sub-registrar to register the deed. But, the sub-registrar once again refused to register the deed on a different ground that a civil suit is pending. Challenging it, the petitioner filed the present petition.
Justice N Sathish Kumar observed that the issue of refusal made casually by citing the pendency of the suit is elaborately dealt with by the division bench of this court, which held that merely citing the pendency of the suit, the document cannot be refused to be registered.
The refusal order itself indicates that it is nothing but a clear disregard for the earlier order of this court. The act of the first respondent clearly constitutes contempt of court, the judge observed.
Considering the seriousness of the issue, the judge imposed the cost to be paid immediately to the women advocate association creche attached to the Madurai bench of Madras high court. The sub-registrar paid the cost imposed on him and also filed an affidavit of undertaking not to commit such a mistake hereafter. Hence, the judge set aside the refusal order.
