Fixing of day for appearance on behalf of Government
Full Text
The Court, in fixing the day for the Government to answer to the plaint, shall allow a reasonable time for the necessary communication with the Government through the proper channel, and for the issue of instructions to the Government pleader to appear and answer on behalf of the Government, and may extend the time at its discretion but the time so extended shall not exceed two months in the aggregate.
Plain English Summary
Requires the court to grant reasonable time to the Government Pleader to obtain administrative instructions, while imposing a strict statutory ceiling that aggregate extensions for filing defense shall not exceed two months.
Key Legal Elements
- Communication Allowance: Time provided for bureaucratic correspondence through proper departmental channels.
- Instruction Issuance: Facilitating vetting of draft reply by departmental law officers.
- Statutory Cap: Total aggregate extension granted by the court cannot exceed two months.
Practical Note
Enforcing the 2-Month Ceiling Against Government Delay: While courts are generally lenient with government departments, Rule 5 contains an express legislative cap: 'the time so extended shall not exceed two months in the aggregate'. When government counsel repeatedly seeks adjournments to file a written statement beyond 60 days, cite Rule 5 read with Order VIII Rule 1 to insist on forfeiting the right to file defense.
हिंदी पाठ
न्यायालय, वादपत्र का उत्तर देने के लिए सरकार के वास्ते दिन नियत करने में, उचित माध्यम द्वारा सरकार से आवश्यक पत्र-व्यवहार करने के लिए और सरकार की ओर से उपसंजात होने और उत्तर देने के लिए शासकीय प्लीडर को अनुदेश जारी करने के लिए युक्तियुक्त समय देगा, और अपने विवेकाधिकार में समय बढ़ा सकेगा किंतु इस प्रकार बढ़ाया गया समय कुल मिलाकर दो मास (Two months) से अधिक नहीं होगा।