Discovery by interrogatories (Commercial Courts)
Full Text
[Commercial Courts Regime — Order XI Rule 2]
(1) In any suit the plaintiff or defendant by leave of the court may deliver interrogatories in writing for the examination of the opposite parties or any one or more of such parties, and such interrogatories when delivered shall have a note at the foot thereof stating which of such interrogatories each of such persons is required to answer: Provided that no party shall deliver more than one set of interrogatories to the same party without an order for that purpose: Provided further that interrogatories which do not relate to any matters in question in the suit shall be deemed irrelevant, notwithstanding that they might be admissible on the oral cross-examination of a witness.
(2) On an application for leave to deliver interrogatories, the particular interrogatories proposed to be delivered shall be submitted to the court, and that court shall decide within seven days from the day of filing of the said application, in deciding upon such application, the court shall take into account any offer, which may be made by the party sought to be interrogated to deliver particulars, or to make admissions, or to produce documents relating to the matters in question, or any of them, and leave shall be given as to such only of the interrogatories submitted as the court shall consider necessary either for disposing fairly of the suit or for saving costs.
(3) Costs of interrogatories unreasonably or vexatiously exhibited shall be paid in any event by the party in fault.
(4) Form No. 2 in Appendix C to be used.
(5) Interrogatories to corporations or body of persons.
(6) Objections may be taken in affidavit in answer on ground of scandal, irrelevance, prematurity, or privilege.
(7) Setting aside or striking out within seven days of service.
(8) Affidavit in answer to be filed within ten days or as allowed.
(9) Form No. 3 in Appendix C for answer affidavit.
(10) Sufficiency of affidavit determined by court.
(11) Order to answer or answer further by affidavit or viva voce examination.
Plain English Summary
Consolidates and accelerates the discovery-by-interrogatories mechanism for commercial suits, enforcing a strict 7-day judicial disposal timeline for leave applications and a 10-day response window on affidavit.
Key Legal Elements
- Consolidated Commercial Code: Merges rules 1 to 11 of general Order XI into a single accelerated rule.
- Mandatory 7-Day Disposal: Court must dispose of leave application within 7 days of filing.
- 10-Day Response Mandate: Answer affidavit due within 10 days of service.
- Viva Voce Power: Court can direct oral examination if answers are evasive.
Practical Note
Accelerated Interrogatories in Commercial Suits: Because commercial courts operate under fast-track timelines, file interrogatories immediately upon closure of pleadings to pinpoint admissions before the Case Management Hearing under Order XV-A.
हिंदी पाठ
[वाणिज्यिक न्यायालय व्यवस्था — आदेश 11 नियम 2]
(1) किसी भी वाणिज्यिक वाद में वादी या प्रतिवादी न्यायालय की इजाजत से विरोधी पक्षकारों को लिखित परिप्रश्न परिदत्त कर सकेगा, जिसके पाद में यह टिप्पण होगा कि प्रत्येक से किन प्रश्नों के उत्तर अपेक्षित हैं। बिना आदेश एक से अधिक सैट नहीं भेजा जाएगा।
(2) परिप्रश्नों के आवेदन पर न्यायालय आवेदन दाखिल होने के 7 दिन के भीतर निर्णय करेगा और केवल वाद के निष्पक्ष निपटारे अथवा खर्चे की बचत हेतु आवश्यक प्रश्नों की ही अनुमति देगा।
(3) से (11) परिप्रश्नों का प्ररूप 2, कंपनियों/निगमों को परिप्रश्न, विशेषाधिकार व अप्रासंगिकता की आपत्तियां, 7 दिन में निरस्त कराने का आवेदन, 10 दिन में शपथपत्र द्वारा उत्तर (प्ररूप 3), तथा अपर्याप्त उत्तर पर न्यायालय द्वारा पुनः शपथपत्र या मौखिक परीक्षा (Viva voce) द्वारा उत्तर का आदेश देने की संपूर्ण वाणिज्यिक प्रक्रिया का नियमन करते हैं।