Format and guidelines of affidavit of evidence
Full Text
An affidavit must comply with the form and requirements set forth below:—
(a) such affidavit should be confined to, and should follow the chronological sequence of, the dates and events that are relevant for proving any fact or any other matter dealt with;
(b) where the Court is of the view that an affidavit is a mere reproduction of the pleadings, or contains the legal grounds of any party’s case, the Court may, by order, strike out the affidavit or such parts of the affidavit, as it deems fit and proper;
(c) each paragraph of an affidavit should, as far as possible, be confined to a distinct portion of the subject;
(d) an affidavit shall state—
(i) which of the statements in it are made from the deponent’s own knowledge and which are matters of information or belief; and
(ii) the source for any matters of information or belief;
(e) an affidavit should—
(i) have the pages numbered consecutively as a separate document (or as one of several documents contained in a file);
(ii) be divided into numbered paragraphs;
(iii) have all numbers, including dates, expressed in figures; and
(iv) if any of the documents referred to in the body of the affidavit are annexed to the affidavit or any other pleadings, give the annexures and page numbers of such documents that are relied upon.
Plain English Summary
Lays down mandatory statutory drafting guidelines for evidence affidavits in commercial disputes: chronological sequencing, prohibition on replicating pleadings or legal arguments on pain of being struck out, distinct paragraphing, disclosure of sources, and consecutive pagination with annexure page references.
Key Legal Elements
- Chronological Sequence (Clause a): Must follow the strict timeline of dates and events.
- Bar on Copy-Pasting Pleadings (Clause b): Court has statutory power to strike out affidavits that mere copy-paste plaints or written statements.
- Legal Grounds Prohibited: Pleadings and legal grounds cannot be dressed up as evidence.
- Distinct Paragraphs (Clause c): One fact or event per paragraph.
- Specific Source Disclosure (Clause d): Must identify knowledge vs. information/belief with exact sources.
- Strict Formalities (Clause e): Consecutive numbering, figures for dates, and exact annexure page cross-references.
Practical Note
Commercial Affidavit Compliance Checklist (Order XIX Rule 6): 1. Avoid the 'Copy-Paste' Plaint Trap: Under Clause (b), never copy the plaint word-for-word into the chief affidavit. If done, opposing counsel will seek an order striking out the affidavit in its entirety. 2. Cross-Referencing Annexures: Always write: 'The purchase order dated 14.02.2023 is annexed as Annexure P-4 at Page Nos. 45 to 48 of the Plaintiff's List of Documents'. Failure to provide page numbers violates Clause (e)(iv).
हिंदी पाठ
साक्ष्य के शपथपत्र को नीचे दी गई रूपरेखा और अपेक्षाओं का अनुपालन करना होगा:—
(क) ऐसा शपथपत्र किसी तथ्य या अन्य विषय को साबित करने के लिए सुसंगत तारीखों और घटनाओं के कालानुक्रमिक क्रम (Chronological sequence) तक ही सीमित होगा और उसी का अनुसरण करेगा;
(ख) जहां न्यायालय का यह विचार है कि शपथपत्र अभिवचनों की केवल नकल (Mere reproduction of pleadings) है अथवा इसमें पक्षकार के मामले के कानूनी आधार शामिल हैं, वहां न्यायालय आदेश द्वारा शपथपत्र या उसके ऐसे भागों को काट (Strike out) सकेगा जैसा वह उचित समझे;
(ग) शपथपत्र का प्रत्येक पैराग्राफ, जहां तक संभव हो, विषय के एक विशिष्ट भाग तक सीमित होगा;
(घ) शपथपत्र में यह उल्लिखित होगा कि—
(i) उसके कौन से कथन शपथग्रहीता के स्वयं के ज्ञान से किए गए हैं और कौन से सूचना या विश्वास के विषय हैं; तथा
(ii) सूचना या विश्वास के किसी भी विषय का स्रोत (Source) क्या है;
(ङ) शपथपत्र—
(i) पृथक दस्तावेज के रूप में क्रमवार पृष्ठांकित (Consecutively numbered) होगा;
(ii) क्रमांकित पैराग्राफों में विभाजित होगा;
(iii) सभी संख्याओं, जिसमें तारीखें शामिल हैं, को अंकों (Figures) में अभिव्यक्त करेगा; तथा
(iv) यदि शपथपत्र में उल्लिखित दस्तावेज शपथपत्र या अभिवचनों के साथ संलग्न हैं, तो निर्भर किए गए ऐसे दस्तावेजों के अनुलग्नक (Annexures) और पृष्ठ संख्याएं देगा।