JUDGMENT

Roz Mawar Rozain J:

Introduction

[1] The dignity of a person's name, painstakingly built over decades of professional service, can be undone by a single keystroke in our digital age. This case presents a stark illustration of how administrative errors in government records can cast a long shadow over a citizen's reputation and livelihood.

[2] The Plaintiff, a chartered accountant of more than 40 years standing and managing partner of a firm serving over 2,000 clients, found himself in an extraordinary position. Despite having obtained an order on 7 December 2020 annulling his bankruptcy, he discovered some 16 months later that he was still listed as a bankrupt in the official insolvency database. This incorrect status surfaced at a particularly inopportune moment - when he attempted to open a bank account for a company where he served as director.

[3] This revelation set in motion a chain of events that would test the delicate balance between administrative convenience and individual rights, between statutory duties and professional reputations. At its heart, this case examines the extent of responsibility that government departments bear when maintaining public records that ca