Provisions relating to certain items
Full Text
Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of this Code relating to costs, the Court may award costs in respect of,—
(a) expenditure incurred for the giving of any notice required to be given by law before the institution of the suit;
(b) expenditure incurred on any notice which, though not required to be given by law, has been given by any party to the suit to any other party before the institution of the suit;
(c) expenditure incurred on the typing, writing or printing of pleadings filed by any party;
(d) charges paid by a party for inspection of the records of the Court for the purposes of the suit;
(e) expenditure incurred by a party for producing witnesses, even though not summoned through Court; and
(f) in the case of appeals, charges incurred by a party for obtaining any copies of judgments and decrees which are required to be filed along with the memorandum of appeal.
Plain English Summary
Enumerates specific out-of-pocket litigation expenses that the Court may award as costs, including statutory and non-statutory pre-suit notices, drafting and printing of pleadings, judicial inspection charges, voluntary witness production, and certified copies for appeal.
Key Legal Elements
- Six Specific Recoverable Heads: Expands recoverable costs far beyond nominal court fees.
- Statutory Notices (Clause a): Covers Section 80 CPC notices to Government, Section 106 TPA tenancy termination notices.
- Voluntary Pre-Suit Notices (Clause b): Reimburses costs of demand notices and pre-litigation correspondence.
- Pleadings & Printing (Clause c): Covers professional drafting, typing, xerox, and computer printing expenses.
- Inspection Fees (Clause d): Official charges paid in Nazarat / Record Room for inspecting suit records.
- Voluntary Witness Expenses (Clause e): Compensates parties who bring witnesses under Order XVI Rule 1A without court summons.
- Appellate Certified Copies (Clause f): Direct reimbursement of certified copying fees paid for appealing.
Practical Note
Claiming Actual Litigation Expenses under Order XX-A: 1. Landmark Rulings - Salem Advocate Bar Association (II) v. Union of India (2005) 6 SCC 344 & Sanjeev Kumar Jain v. Raghubir Saran Charitable Trust (2012) 1 SCC 455: The Supreme Court observed that nominal costs encourage frivolous and speculative litigation. Courts should award realistic, actual costs under Order XX-A to indemnify the honest litigant. 2. Drafting a Statement of Costs: At the conclusion of final arguments, file a formal 'Memo / Statement of Costs under Order XX-A Rule 1 CPC' itemizing: (a) Legal notice drafting fee & postal receipts: ₹5,000; (b) Typing and printing of 200 pages of pleadings: ₹3,000; (c) Travel and boarding of 3 unsummoned witnesses: ₹12,000; (d) Court record inspection fees: ₹500; (e) Certified copy fees: ₹1,200.
हिंदी पाठ
खर्चों (Costs) से संबंधित इस संहिता के उपबंधों की व्यापकता पर प्रतिकूल प्रभाव डाले बिना, न्यायालय निम्नलिखित मदों के संबंध में खर्चे अधिनिर्णीत (Award) कर सकेगा:—
(क) वाद के संस्थित किए जाने से पूर्व विधि द्वारा दिए जाने के लिए अपेक्षित किसी सूचना (Legal Notice) को देने के लिए उपगत व्यय;
(ख) ऐसी किसी सूचना पर उपगत व्यय जो यद्यपि विधि द्वारा दिए जाने के लिए अपेक्षित नहीं थी, फिर भी वाद संस्थित किए जाने से पूर्व किसी पक्षकार द्वारा किसी अन्य पक्षकार को दी गई थी;
(ग) किसी पक्षकार द्वारा दाखिल किए गए अभिवचनों (Pleadings) के टाइप कराने, लिखने या मुद्रण कराने पर उपगत व्यय;
(घ) वाद के प्रयोजनों के लिए न्यायालय के अभिलेखों के निरीक्षण (Inspection of records) के लिए पक्षकार द्वारा संदत्त प्रभार;
(ङ) पक्षकार द्वारा साक्षियों को पेश करने के लिए उपगत व्यय, भले ही उन्हें न्यायालय के माध्यम से समन न किया गया हो; तथा
(च) अपीलों की दशा में, निर्णयों और डिक्री की ऐसी प्रतियां (Certified copies) प्राप्त करने के लिए पक्षकार द्वारा उपगत प्रभार जिन्हें अपील के ज्ञापन के साथ दाखिल किया जाना अपेक्षित है।