Legal Question in Civil Rights Law in India

pro forma respondent means a formal respondent. he is not interested in the subject matter but may be a government authority who is to be bound by court orders and outcome of the case.

You may implead a person as pro forma respondent who may be passively affected in the fruits of litigation but not willing to be a plaintiff. for example, if three daughters and one brother are legal heirs and are inheriting some property, and any one of the daughters file a suit for partition, the remaining two sisters can be pro forma defendants.