Discovery by interrogatories
Full Text
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 person 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 also 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.
Plain English Summary
Authorizes parties, with prior leave of the court, to deliver written interrogatories to opposite parties to obtain admissions on material facts, barring repetitive sets without court order and excluding questions relevant solely to witness credibility.
Key Legal Elements
- Prior Leave of Court Mandatory: Interrogatories cannot be served directly without the court's sanction.
- Footnote Specifying Answers: Must delineate specifically which numbered questions each party must answer.
- Single Set Rule: No second or successive set of interrogatories without specific court permission.
- Strict Relevancy Standard: Must directly touch the matters in question; questions that are purely fishing or directed to witness credibility in cross-examination are barred.
Practical Note
Discovery by Interrogatories in Civil Trial: 1. Supreme Court Landmark - Raj Narain v. Indira Nehru Gandhi (1972) 3 SCC 850: Questions that are purely fishing or in the nature of cross-examination cannot be allowed as interrogatories. Interrogatories are designed to narrow the issues, obtain admissions, and save costs of formal evidence. 2. Scope of Legitimate Questions: Permissible interrogatories include asking whether a specific letter was sent/received, whether an agent was authorized, or the dates of specific meetings. 3. Application Title: 'Application on behalf of Plaintiff under Order XI Rules 1 and 2 read with Section 151 CPC for Leave to Deliver Interrogatories to Defendant No. 1'.
हिंदी पाठ
किसी भी वाद में वादी या प्रतिवादी न्यायालय की इजाजत से विरोधी पक्षकारों की या ऐसे पक्षकारों में से किसी एक या अधिक की परीक्षा के लिए लिखित परिप्रश्न (Interrogatories) परिदत्त कर सकेगा और ऐसे परिप्रश्न जब परिदत्त किए जाएं तब उनके पाद में यह टिप्पण होगा जिसमें यह कथित होगा कि ऐसे व्यक्तियों में से प्रत्येक से ऐसे परिप्रश्नों में से किनका उत्तर अपेक्षित है: परन्तु कोई भी पक्षकार उस प्रयोजन के लिए आदेश के बिना उसी पक्षकार को परिप्रश्नों का एक से अधिक सैट परिदत्त नहीं करेगा: परन्तु यह भी कि वे परिप्रश्न जो वाद में के किसी विवादग्रस्त विषय से संबंधित नहीं हैं, अप्रासंगिक (Irrelevant) समझे जाएंगे, भले ही वे साक्षी की मौखिक प्रतिपरीक्षा (Cross-examination) में ग्राह्य हों।