Power of High Courts to make rules as to their original Civil procedure
Full Text
Notwithstanding anything in this Code, any High Court not being the Court of a Judicial Commissioner may make such rules not inconsistent with the Letters Patent or order or other law establishing it to regulate its own procedure in the exercise of its original civil jurisdiction as it shall think fit, and nothing herein contained shall affect the validity of any such rules in force at the commencement of this Code.
Plain English Summary
Section 129 confers overriding authority upon High Courts exercising original civil jurisdiction to frame rules regulating their own original side procedure (consistent with their Letters Patent or charter), establishing that High Court Original Side Rules prevail over inconsistent provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure.
Key Legal Elements
- Non-Obstante Clause: Begins with 'Notwithstanding anything in this Code', giving overriding supremacy to High Court Original Side Rules.
- Scope: Governs procedure of High Courts exercising ordinary original civil jurisdiction.
- Guiding Limitation: Rules must not be inconsistent with the Letters Patent, charter, or founding statute of the High Court.
- Savings Clause: Preserves the continuing validity of pre-existing original side rules in force at the commencement of the CPC.
Practical Note
Supremacy of High Court Original Side Rules over the CPC: 1. Overriding Non-Obstante Effect: Section 129 begins with 'Notwithstanding anything in this Code'. As reaffirmed by the Supreme Court in Iridium India Telecom Ltd. v. Motorola Inc. (2005) 2 SCC 145, Original Side Rules framed under Section 129 (or Letters Patent) take precedence over the First Schedule orders and sections of the CPC. 2. Commercial and Summary Suits: For original side matters in High Courts having ordinary original jurisdiction (Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Delhi), the local High Court Original Side Rules govern pleadings, timelines for written statements, summons, and chamber practice rather than the general CPC provisions. 3. Limitation: The only statutory constraint is that rules framed under Section 129 cannot violate the Letters Patent, charter, or parent Act establishing that High Court.
हिंदी पाठ
इस संहिता में किसी बात के होते हुए भी, कोई भी उच्च न्यायालय (जो न्यायिक आयुक्त का न्यायालय न हो) अपनी आरंभिक सिविल अधिकारिता (Original Civil Jurisdiction) के प्रयोग में अपनी प्रक्रिया को विनियमित करने के लिए ऐसे नियम बना सकेगा, जो उसे स्थापित करने वाले लेटर्स पेटेंट या आदेश या अन्य विधि से असंगत न हों, जैसा वह उचित समझे; और इसमें अंतर्विष्ट कोई भी बात इस संहिता के प्रारंभ पर प्रवृत्त ऐसे किन्हीं नियमों की विधिमान्यता को प्रभावित नहीं करेगी।