Destruction of Records in the Office of the City Civil Court, Chennai
The City Civil Court, Chennai, through Judicial Notification No. VI(1)/199/2019 published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette on April 17, 2019, notified parties and witnesses that specified court documents connected with listed 1997 cases would be destroyed after thirty days from publication. It affects people who produced documents in the listed original suits, connected appeals, original petitions and applications.
What the notification does
Judicial Notification No. VI(1)/199/2019 authorises the destruction of specified Part I records held by the City Civil Court, Chennai. The notification was published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette on April 17, 2019, and states that destruction would take place after thirty days from that publication date.
The action is taken under the rule for destruction of Part I records framed by the High Court of Judicature at Madras under V of 1917 and printed in Volume I of the Civil Rules of Practice and circular order.
Records covered
Judicial Notification No. VI(1)/199/2019 covers records connected with the original suits listed in its schedule for the year 1997. The schedule contains a large number of original suit numbers.
The documents identified for destruction include:
- Documents produced by parties or witnesses and filed as exhibits in the listed original suits.
- Exhibits in appeals connected with those original suits.
- Exhibits in original petitions and applications mentioned in the schedule.
- Other documents tendered in the listed original suits, applications and original petitions but not taken on record or rejected.
Who may be affected
Judicial Notification No. VI(1)/199/2019 directly concerns parties and witnesses who submitted original documents in any case included in the schedule. A person whose property records, agreements or other documents were produced in one of those proceedings may need to check whether the document falls within the notified category.
A property buyer or owner is not affected merely because a property is in Chennai. The practical issue is whether the person, the property or a relevant document was connected with one of the original suit numbers listed for 1997 or with a related appeal, petition or application.
Key points to check
Before relying on the notification, a concerned person should verify:
- Whether the original suit number appears in the published schedule.
- Whether the document was filed as an exhibit, tendered but not taken, or rejected.
- Whether the document relates to a connected appeal, original petition or application.
- Whether the person was a party or witness who produced the document.
The notification itself provides a thirty day period from publication before destruction.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Does this notification apply to every City Civil Court case from 1997?
No. Judicial Notification No. VI(1)/199/2019 applies to the original suit numbers listed in its schedule and to the connected appeals, original petitions and applications described in the notification.
What types of documents were marked for destruction?
The notification covers documents filed as exhibits by parties or witnesses, as well as documents tendered but not taken on record or rejected in the listed proceedings.
How long did parties and witnesses have before destruction?
The City Civil Court, Chennai stated that the covered documents would be destroyed after thirty days from the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette publication dated April 17, 2019.
Does this notification change ownership or land records?
The notification addresses destruction of specified court records. It does not state that it changes ownership or land records.
