Legal Definitions - rectification of register

Rectification of register is a legal process that allows an individual to have an error corrected in an official record or register. This occurs when their name was wrongly entered into or omitted from the record, enabling them to compel the recorder to make the necessary correction.

Rectification of register refers to the legal process used to correct an error in an official record or register. This process allows a person or entity to formally challenge an incorrect entry or omission and compel the authority responsible for maintaining the record to make the necessary amendment, ensuring the register accurately reflects the true facts.

Here are some examples illustrating how this legal term applies:

• Example 1: Property Ownership

  Imagine a situation where a person purchases a new home, and all the legal paperwork is correctly completed. However, due to a clerical error at the local land registry office, the official property title register still lists the previous owner, or perhaps contains an incorrect description of the property's boundaries. The new homeowner would initiate a process of rectification of register to legally compel the land registry to update the official title to correctly reflect their ownership and the accurate property details. This ensures their legal ownership is properly recorded and publicly recognized.

• Example 2: Company Shareholder Records

  Consider an investor who purchases a significant number of shares in a publicly traded company. When the company updates its official register of members (the list of its shareholders), an administrative mistake leads to the investor being recorded as owning fewer shares than they actually purchased. The investor can pursue a rectification of register to legally require the company to amend its official shareholder list. This correction is vital because the register determines their voting rights at company meetings and their entitlement to dividends.

• Example 3: Professional Licensing Body

  A newly qualified architect successfully passes all examinations and fulfills every requirement to obtain their professional license. Despite this, the national architectural licensing board mistakenly omits their name from the official public register of licensed architects. This error prevents the architect from legally practicing their profession. The architect would apply for rectification of register to compel the licensing board to correct its official records and include their name, thereby confirming their licensed status to potential clients and employers.