Court may add Government as party
Full Text
The Court may at any stage of the proceedings order that the Central Government or a State Government shall be added as a defendant in any suit involving any such question as is referred to in clause (1) of Article 132 read with Article 147, of the Constitution, if the Attorney General for India or the Advocate-General of the State, as the case may be, whether upon receipt of notice under rule 1, or otherwise, applies for such addition and the Court is satisfied that such addition is necessary or desirable for the satisfactory determination of the question of law involved.
Plain English Summary
Enables the trial court at any stage to add the Central or State Government as a party defendant upon an application moved by the Attorney General or Advocate-General following Rule 1 notice, ensuring effective representation of sovereign public interest.
Key Legal Elements
- Stage: At any stage of the suit or proceedings.
- Initiating Authority: Application by Attorney General for India or State Advocate-General.
- Judicial Test: Court must be satisfied that impleadment is 'necessary or desirable' for satisfactory determination.
- Status: Impleaded as a party defendant, entitled to file pleadings and present oral arguments.
Practical Note
Distinction Between Notice and Impleadment: Rule 1 merely mandates issuing notice to the Attorney General / Advocate General to assist the court as amicus/law officer. Under Rule 2, the Government actually becomes a formal party defendant with rights to produce evidence, appeal adverse rulings, and cross-examine witnesses. Counsel representing the State should apply under Rule 2 if the ruling could have widespread revenue or public policy ramifications.
हिंदी पाठ
न्यायालय कार्यवाहियों के किसी भी प्रक्रम पर यह आदेश दे सकेगा कि संविधान के अनुच्छेद 147 के साथ पठित अनुच्छेद 132 के खंड (1) में निर्दिष्ट किसी प्रश्न को अंतर्वलित करने वाले किसी वाद में केंद्रीय सरकार या राज्य सरकार को प्रतिवादी के रूप में संयोजित किया जाए, यदि, यथास्थिति, भारत का महान्यायवादी या राज्य का महाधिवक्ता नियम 1 के अधीन सूचना प्राप्त होने पर या अन्यथा ऐसे संयोजन के लिए आवेदन करता है और न्यायालय का यह समाधान हो जाता है कि ऐसा संयोजन अंतर्वलित विधि-प्रश्न के संतोषप्रद अवधारण के लिए आवश्यक या वांछनीय है।