Power to order discovery and the like
Full Text
Subject to such conditions and limitations as may be prescribed, the Court may, at any time, either of its own motion or on the application of any party,—
(a) make such orders as may be necessary or reasonable in all matters relating to the delivery and answering of interrogatories, the admission of documents and facts, and the discovery, inspection, production, impounding and return of documents or other material objects producible as evidence;
(b) issue summonses to persons whose attendance is required either to give evidence or to produce documents or such other objects as aforesaid;
(c) order any fact to be proved by affidavit.
Plain English Summary
Section 30 vests civil courts with broad supervisory and inquisitorial powers, exercisable suo motu or on application at any stage, to order discovery, interrogatories, admission, inspection, and production of documents, issue witness or document summonses, and direct any fact to be proved by affidavit.
Key Legal Elements
- Suo Motu or on Application: Exercisable by the court on its own motion or upon party application at any stage.
- Discovery & Interrogatories (Sec 30(a)): Interrogatories, admission of facts/documents, discovery, inspection, production, and impounding.
- Compulsory Attendance & Production (Sec 30(b)): Power to summon witnesses and compel production of evidentiary records (Order XVI).
- Proof by Affidavit (Sec 30(c)): Statutory foundation for proving facts via affidavit (Order XIX / Order XVIII Rule 4).
Practical Note
Backbone of pre-trial procedures and evidence management: (1) Interrogatories and Discovery (Order XI): Enables advocates to extract admissions and narrow issues prior to trial, curbing prolix cross-examination. (2) Document Production & Impounding (Order XIII): Courts can compel production of original books/records and impound suspicious instruments for forensic analysis under Rule 8. (3) Witness Summons (Order XVI): Statutory anchor for issuing subpoenas duces tecum to government bodies, banks, or revenue authorities. (4) Sanction Mechanism: Disobedience to Section 30 orders is punishable under Section 32 (arrest warrants, property attachment, civil imprisonment, and fines). (5) Proof by Affidavit: Basis for examination-in-chief affidavits under Order XVIII Rule 4.
हिंदी पाठ
ऐसी शर्तों और सीमाओं के अध्यधीन रहते हुए, जैसी विहित की जाएं, न्यायालय किसी भी समय, या तो स्वप्रेरणा से या किसी पक्षकार के आवेदन पर,—
(क) परिप्रश्नों (इंटेरोगेटरीज) के परिदान और उनके उत्तर, दस्तावेजों और तथ्यों की स्वीकृति, तथा साक्ष्य के रूप में पेश किए जाने योग्य दस्तावेजों या अन्य भौतिक वस्तुओं के प्रकटीकरण (डिस्कवरी), निरीक्षण, पेश किए जाने, परिबद्ध (जब्त) किए जाने और लौटाए जाने से संबंधित सभी मामलों में ऐसे आदेश कर सकेगा जो आवश्यक या युक्तियुक्त हों;
(ख) उन व्यक्तियों को समन निकाल सकेगा जिनकी उपसंस्थिति साक्ष्य देने के लिए या दस्तावेजों अथवा पूर्वोक्त जैसी अन्य वस्तुओं को पेश करने के लिए अपेक्षित है;
(ग) किसी भी तथ्य को शपथपत्र द्वारा साबित किए जाने का आदेश दे सकेगा।