Serene Estates Private Limited v. The Inspector General Of Registration
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 19-02-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE SENTHILKUMAR RAMAMOORTHY Serene Estates private Limited (Erstwhile NSL SEZ(Chennai) Private Limited, Represented by its Authorized Signatory, NSI ICON 4th Floor, 8-2-684/2/A, Road No.12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad-500 034 Also at No.103, Second Street, Kumarasamy Nagar, Sholinganallur Chennai-600 119 ..Petitioner(s) Vs
1. The Inspector General of Registration No.100 Santhome High Road, Chennai-600 028
2. The District Registrar, Chennai South, Saidapet, Chennai-600 015
3. The Sub -Registrar Neelankarai, Chennai-600 115 ..Respondent(s) PRAYER: Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, pleased to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the Respondents to remove the
note /entry declaring the Sale Deed dated 17.11.2004 (Document No.6725 of 2004) and the Lease Deed dated 08.12.2006 (Document No.7034 of 2006) as annulled from Index-II, of the said documents and consequentially rectify to that effect the corresponding entry in the Encumbrance certificate pertaining to the Sale Deed dated 17.11.2004 (Document No.6725 of 2004) and the Lease Deed dated 08.12.2006 (Document No.7034 of 2006). For Petitioner(s):
Ms.Srika Selvam for M/s. Inthu Karunakaran For Respondent(s):
Mr.U.Baranidharan, Special Government Pleader
ORDER
Various documents of conveyance were registered in favour of the petitioner. Such registrations were challenged by a third party to this writ petition by relying on Circular No.67. An order was issued cancelling the registrations. Such cancellation was the subject of challenge in W.P.No.15921 of 2012. By order dated 27.09.2022, this Court allowed the writ petition and recorded that the impugned order becomes invalid on account of the withdrawal of the circular on 20.10.2017. Because entries relating to the cancellation find place in the records of the Registration Department, the present writ petition has been filed seeking deletion thereof.
2. Mr.U.Baranidharan, learned Special Government Pleader, accepts notice for all the respondents. He submits that appropriate neutralizing entries would be made if the petitioner were to submit a fresh representation.
3. On perusal of order dated 27.09.2022 in W.P.No.15921 of 2012, it is clear that the order cancelling documents of conveyance in favour of the petitioner was set aside after taking note of the fact that Circular No.67 dated 03.11.2011 was withdrawn by the Government on 20.10.2017. Although such order refers to Section 77A of the Registration Act, subsequently, this Court held Section 77A to be unconstitutional. Therefore, unless the private respondents in the said writ petition had obtained orders from a civil court cancelling the documents of conveyance in favour of the petitioner, the petitioner is entitled to have neutralizing entries made in the records of the Registration Department.
4. For reasons set out above, this writ petition is disposed of on the following terms:
(i) The petitioner is permitted to submit a fresh representation seeking neutralizing entries to nullify the entries made earlier. (ii) Upon receipt of such representation, the third respondent is directed to verify whether any jurisdictional civil court has passed orders for the
cancellation of the documents of conveyance in favour of the petitioner. If not, neutralizing entries shall be made within thirty days from the date of representation.
(iii) No costs.
19-02-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order RNA To
1. The Inspector General of Registration No.100 Santhome High Road, Chennai-600 028
2. The District Registrar, Chennai South, Saidapet, Chennai-600 015
3. The Sub -Registrar Neelankarai, Chennai-600 115
SENTHILKUMAR RAMAMOORTHY, J.
RNA 19-02-2026