When aliens may sue
Full Text
Alien enemies residing in India with the permission of the Central Government, and alien friends, may sue in any Court otherwise competent to try the suit, as if they were citizens of India, but alien enemies residing in India without such permission, or residing in a foreign country, shall not sue in any such Court.
Explanation.—Every person residing in a foreign country, the Government of which is at war with India and carrying on business in that country without a licence in that behalf granted by the Central Government, shall, for the purpose of this section, be deemed to be an alien enemy residing in a foreign country.
Plain English Summary
Section 83 defines the civil litigation rights of foreign nationals, granting alien friends and licensed alien enemies the same standing to sue in competent Indian civil courts as Indian citizens, while strictly barring unpermitted alien enemies residing in India or abroad from instituting suits.
Key Legal Elements
- Alien Friends Standing: Foreign nationals of friendly sovereign states enjoy full procedural parity with Indian citizens to sue in domestic courts.
- Permitted Alien Enemies: Alien enemies residing in India can only institute suits if holding express Central Government permission.
- Unpermitted Alien Enemies Barred: Absolute procedural bar against alien enemies residing without Central Government permission or residing abroad.
- Trading with the Enemy Deeming Clause (Explanation): Persons conducting unlicensed commercial business in hostile nations are deemed alien enemies.
Practical Note
Locus Standi of Foreigners, Commercial Disputes & Effect of War: (1) Alien Friends & Cross-Border Contracts: Foreign corporations and individuals from countries at peace with India (alien friends) require no special permissions or executive certificates to file suits for breach of contract, intellectual property infringements, or recovery of debts in Indian civil courts. (2) Outbreak of War & Abatement: If war breaks out between India and a foreign state pendente lite, pending proceedings instituted by nationals of that state are stayed or abated, as they transform into alien enemies under Section 83. (3) Commercial Activity in Hostile Territory: The Explanation embodies the public policy doctrine prohibiting trading with the enemy; even an Indian national or neutral citizen residing and trading in an enemy state without a Central Government license is deemed an alien enemy disabled from suing.
हिंदी पाठ
केंद्रीय सरकार की अनुज्ञा (अनुमति) से भारत में निवास करने वाले अन्यदेशीय शत्रु (Alien enemies), और अन्यदेशीय मित्र (Alien friends), किसी ऐसे न्यायालय में जो वाद का विचारण करने के लिए अन्यथा सक्षम है, इस प्रकार वाद ला सकेंगे मानो वे भारत के नागरिक हों, किंतु ऐसी अनुज्ञा के बिना भारत में निवास करने वाले अथवा किसी विदेश में निवास करने वाले अन्यदेशीय शत्रु ऐसे किसी न्यायालय में वाद नहीं लाएंगे।
स्पष्टीकरण—किसी ऐसे विदेश में निवास करने वाला और केंद्रीय सरकार द्वारा इस निमित्त दी गई अनुज्ञप्ति (लाइसेंस) के बिना उस देश में कारबार करने वाला प्रत्येक व्यक्ति, जिस देश की सरकार से भारत का युद्ध चल रहा है, इस धारा के प्रयोजन के लिए विदेश में निवास करने वाला अन्यदेशीय शत्रु समझा जाएगा।