Suits by or against Government
Full Text
In a suit by or against the Government, the authority to be named as plaintiff or defendant, as the case may be, shall be—
(a) in the case of a suit by or against the Central Government, the Union of India, and
(b) in the case of a suit by or against a State Government, the State.
Plain English Summary
Section 79 prescribes the formal title and juristic persona under which the Government must sue or be sued in civil courts, mandating the designation 'Union of India' for Central Government actions and the name of the respective 'State' for State Government actions, in consonance with Article 300 of the Constitution of India.
Key Legal Elements
- Juristic Nomenclature: Establishes statutory procedural nomenclature for suits involving the sovereign Government.
- Central Government Designation: Mandates 'Union of India' as the sole appropriate entity name for Central Government litigations.
- State Government Designation: Mandates the name of the respective State (e.g., 'State of Maharashtra') for State Government litigations.
- Constitutional Conformity (Article 300): Operates in direct harmony with Article 300 of the Constitution of India.
Practical Note
Article 300 Harmonization, Misjoinder of Departments & Proper Party Defect: (1) Constitutional Foundation: Section 79 provides procedural expression to Article 300 of the Constitution; the Union of India or the respective State is the juristic person capable of suing and being sued, not individual ministries, directorates, or departments. (2) Fatal Defect of Suing Departments Alone: Suing only an officer (e.g., 'The District Collector' or 'Secretary, Ministry of Railways') without impleading 'The Union of India' or 'The State of...' is a fatal defect of non-joinder of a necessary party under Order I Rule 9 & Order XXVII (Chief Conservator of Forests v. Collector, SC). (3) Correct Plaint Title Format: Plaints must always be titled: 'The State of [State Name], through [Principal Secretary/Collector/Authorized Officer]'.
हिंदी पाठ
सरकार द्वारा या उसके विरुद्ध वाद में, यथास्थिति, वादी या प्रतिवादी के रूप में नामित किया जाने वाला प्राधिकारी निम्नलिखित होगा—
(क) केंद्रीय सरकार द्वारा या उसके विरुद्ध वाद की दशा में, भारत संघ (Union of India), तथा
(ख) राज्य सरकार द्वारा या उसके विरुद्ध वाद की दशा में, वह राज्य (उदा. State of Uttar Pradesh, State of Haryana आदि)।