Power of Court to issue commissions
Full Text
Subject to such conditions and limitations as may be prescribed, the Court may issue a commission—
(a) to examine any person;
(b) to make a local investigation;
(c) to examine or adjust accounts; or
(d) to make a partition;
(e) to hold a scientific, technical, or expert investigation;
(f) to conduct sale of property which is subject to speedy and natural decay and which is in the custody of the Court pending the determination of the suit; or
(g) to perform any ministerial act.
Plain English Summary
Section 75 confers broad statutory power upon civil courts to appoint court commissioners to perform delegated functions that the court cannot conveniently perform itself, including witness examination, local site inspections, taking accounts, partitioning properties, conducting scientific or expert investigations, selling perishable goods, and executing ministerial acts.
Key Legal Elements
- Seven Statutory Purposes: Covers witness examination (cl. a), local investigation (cl. b), accounts (cl. c), partition (cl. d), scientific/expert inquiry (cl. e), perishable sale (cl. f), and ministerial acts (cl. g).
- Substantive Foundation for Order XXVI: Serves as the enabling substantive section for all detailed procedures governed by Order XXVI Rules 1 to 22.
- Discretionary Judicial Tool: Power is discretionary and subject to prescribed conditions to aid the court in effective adjudication.
- Prohibition on Delegating Judicial Functions: Commissioner cannot be delegated the duty of deciding the core issue or collecting evidence for an indolent party.
Practical Note
Order XXVI Symbiosis, Local Inspection Bounds & Evidentiary Value: (1) Enabling Core: Section 75 must always be read with Order XXVI; an application under Section 75(b) for local investigation triggers Order XXVI Rule 9. (2) Strict Ban on Fishing Inquiries & Evidence Collection: A court commissioner cannot be appointed to collect evidence or investigate physical possession for a party who failed to lead their own evidence; the commission's role is strictly limited to elucidating ambiguous matters on the spot (e.g., demarcation, encroachment, physical state of construction). (3) Evidentiary Status: Under Order XXVI Rule 10(2), the Commissioner's report and proceedings form part of the record and constitute substantive evidence without requiring formal proof, though parties possess a statutory right to examine the commissioner in open court.
हिंदी पाठ
ऐसी शर्तों और परिसीमाओं के अध्यधीन जो विहित की जाएं, न्यायालय निम्नलिखित के लिए कमीशन निकाल सकेगा—
(क) किसी व्यक्ति की परीक्षा करने के लिए;
(ख) कोई स्थानीय अन्वेषण (मौका मुआयना) करने के लिए;
(ग) लेखाओं की परीक्षा या उनका समायोजन करने के लिए; अथवा
(घ) कोई विभाजन (बंटवारा) करने के लिए;
(ङ) कोई वैज्ञानिक, तकनीकी या विशेषज्ञीय अन्वेषण करने के लिए;
(च) ऐसी संपत्ति का विक्रय करने के लिए जो शीघ्रतया और प्रकृत्या क्षयशील है और जो वाद के अवधारण के लंबित रहने तक न्यायालय की अभिरक्षा में है; अथवा
(छ) कोई अनुसचिवीय (लिपिकीय/प्रशासनिक) कार्य करने के लिए।