Persons for whose examination commission may issue
Full Text
(1) Any Court may in any suit issue a commission for the examination on interrogatories or otherwise of—
(a) any person resident beyond the local limits of its jurisdiction;
(b) any person who is about to leave such limits before the date on which he is required to be examined in Court; and
(c) any person in the service of the Government who cannot in the opinion of the Court, attend without detriment to the public service:
Provided that where, under rule 19 of Order XVI, a person cannot be ordered to attend a Court in person, a commission shall be issued for his examination if his evidence is considered necessary in the interests of justice: Provided further that a commission for examination of such person on interrogatories shall not be issued unless the Court, for reasons to be recorded, thinks it necessary so to do.
(2) Such commission may be issued to any Court, not being a High Court, within the local limits of whose jurisdiction such person resides, or to any pleader or other person whom the Court issuing the commission may appoint.
(3) The Court on issuing any commission under this rule shall direct whether the commission shall be returned to itself or to any subordinate Court.
Plain English Summary
Governs witness commissions outside territorial limits, impending departure, or essential public servants, establishing a mandatory obligation ('shall be issued') to issue a commission where an outstation witness cannot be compelled to attend under Order XVI Rule 19.
Key Legal Elements
- Categories of Witnesses: (a) Beyond local territorial limits, (b) Imminently departing jurisdiction, (c) Essential public servant.
- Mandatory Proviso (Order XVI Rule 19 Link): If witness resides beyond 100 km (or 500 km where railway/public transit exists), commission is mandatory if evidence is necessary in interests of justice.
- Competent Executing Authorities: Transmitted to a subordinate court having jurisdiction over witness, or directly to an appointed advocate commissioner.
- Direction on Return: Trial court specifies whether the completed deposition returns to itself or a subordinate court.
Practical Note
Strategic Use with Order XVI Rule 19: 1. Defeating Opponent's Coercive Summons: If your outstation client or key witness resides far away (beyond the limits of O. 16 R. 19), oppose the adversary's summons by invoking the first Proviso to Rule 4. The court is legally barred from issuing a bailable warrant and must issue a commission. 2. Appointing an Advocate vs. Forwarding to Local Court: Pray for appointing an advocate commissioner rather than transmitting the commission to the distant court; court-to-court letters of commission experience bureaucratic delays running into years, whereas an advocate commissioner completes depositions in days.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) कोई भी न्यायालय किसी भी वाद में निम्नलिखित की परिप्रश्नों पर या अन्यथा परीक्षा के लिए कमीशन निकाल सकेगा—
(क) कोई ऐसा व्यक्ति जो उसकी अधिकारिता की स्थानीय सीमाओं से परे निवास करता है;
(ख) कोई ऐसा व्यक्ति जो न्यायालय में अपनी परीक्षा की नियत तारीख से पूर्व ऐसी सीमाओं को छोड़कर जाने वाला है; तथा
(ग) सरकार की सेवा में का कोई ऐसा व्यक्ति जो न्यायालय की राय में, लोक सेवा की हानि के बिना उपस्थित नहीं हो सकता:
परंतु जहां आदेश 16 के नियम 19 के अधीन किसी व्यक्ति को स्वयं न्यायालय में उपस्थित होने का आदेश नहीं दिया जा सकता, वहां यदि न्याय के हित में उसका साक्ष्य आवश्यक समझा जाए तो उसकी परीक्षा के लिए कमीशन निकाला जाएगा (Shall be issued): परंतु यह और कि ऐसे व्यक्ति की परिप्रश्नों पर परीक्षा के लिए कमीशन तब तक नहीं निकाला जाएगा जब तक कि न्यायालय अभिलिखित किए जाने वाले कारणों से ऐसा करना आवश्यक न समझे।
(2) ऐसा कमीशन (उच्च न्यायालय से भिन्न) किसी ऐसे न्यायालय को, जिसकी अधिकारिता की स्थानीय सीमाओं के भीतर ऐसा व्यक्ति निवास करता है, या किसी प्लीडर या अन्य व्यक्ति को जिसे कमीशन निकालने वाला न्यायालय नियुक्त करे, निकाला जा सकेगा।
(3) इस नियम के अधीन कोई कमीशन निकालते समय न्यायालय यह निदेश देगा कि कमीशन स्वयं उसे लौटाया जाएगा या किसी अधीनस्थ न्यायालय को लौटाया जाएगा।