Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for the records relating to the impugned gazette notification issued by the 3rd respondent District Registrar in Na.Ka.No. 1015/E1/2010 dated 06.10.2010, quash the same insofar as the Madurai Rifle Club (Reg. No. 45/1997) (stated as "The Madurai Bar Club") is concerned and further direct the respondents herein to restore the name and legal status of the original Society namely, "The Madurai Rifle Club" bearing Registration No.45/1997 in the Register of Societies and to take appropriate action against the illegal registration and functioning of the newly formed Society bearing Registration No.120/2025 based on the representation sent by the petitioner's dated 22.01.2026.

For Petitioner : Mr.K.Ragatheeshkumar for M/s Isaac Chambers

For Respondents : Mr.M.Mahaboob Athiff Govt. Advocate for R2 to R4

ORDER

The petitioners are before this Court challenging the notification dated 06.10.2010 issued by the third respondent, whereby the society bearing Registration No.45 of 1997 was declared to be a defunct society and its name was struck off from the Register of Societies in exercise of powers under Section 44(2) of the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act.

2.The petitioners claim to be members of Madurai Rifle Club, bearing Registration No.45 of 1997. According to them, the office bearers of the society deliberately failed to file the statutory returns and, in collusion with certain persons, brought about the issuance of the impugned notification with a view to facilitating the formation of another society under the same name.

3.It is the further case of the petitioners that, though the registration number has been correctly mentioned in the impugned notification, the name of the society has been erroneously shown as “Madurai Bar Club” instead of “Madurai Rifle Club”. According to the petitioners, on account of the incorrect description of the society, its members were unaware that the society had been declared defunct and that its name had been struck off from the Register of Societies.

4.Learned Government Advocate appearing for the respondents submitted that the impugned notification was issued since the society had failed to file statutory returns for several years prior to the issuance of the notification. It was further submitted that, even subsequent to the issuance of the notification, no returns had been filed by the society. Therefore, the declaration of the society as defunct was justified. Learned Government Advocate further submitted that an efficacious statutory remedy is available under Section 44(5-A) of the Act and, therefore, the writ petition is not maintainable.

5.The submissions made by the learned counsel on either side have been considered.

6.Though the registration number of the society has been correctly mentioned in the impugned notification, the name of the society has admittedly been described as “Madurai Bar Club” instead of “Madurai Rifle Club”. It is also not in dispute that the society had not filed statutory returns for several years prior to the issuance of the impugned notification.

7.Section 44(5-A) of the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act provides that where a registered society or any member thereof is aggrieved by the striking off of the name of the society from the Register of Societies, such person may prefer an appeal in the manner prescribed. In a case where the impugned proceedings have been issued by the District Registrar, the appeal would lie before the Inspector General of Registration. The Inspector General of Registration, upon being satisfied that the society was carrying on its activities at the time when its name was struck off or that it is otherwise just and equitable to restore the name of the society to the Register, may order restoration of the society’s name.

8.In the present case, the petitioners have already preferred an appea