Suing of partners in name of firm
Full Text
(1) Any two or more persons claiming or being liable as partners and carrying on business in India may sue or be sued in the name of the firm (if any) of which such persons were partners at the time of the accruing of the cause of action, and any party to a suit may in such case apply to the Court for a statement of the names and addresses of the persons who were, at the time of the accruing of the cause of action, partners in such firm, to be furnished and verified in such manner as the Court may direct.
(2) Where persons sue or are sued as partners in the name of their firm under sub-rule (1), it shall, in the case of any pleading or other document required by or under this Code to be signed, verified or certified by the plaintiff or the defendant, suffice if such pleading or other document is signed, verified or certified by any one of such persons.
Plain English Summary
Enabling procedural provision permitting partners carrying on business in India to sue or be sued collectively in their firm name, while allowing any single partner to sign and verify pleadings on behalf of the partnership.
Key Legal Elements
- Enabling Fiction: Firm is not a legal person, but Order XXX provides procedural shorthand for all partners.
- Territorial Requirement: Partners must carry on business within India at the relevant time.
- Cause of Action Nexus: Must be partners at the time the cause of action accrued.
- Single Partner Verification (Sub-rule 2): Plaint or written statement signed by any one partner binds the firm.
- Disclosure Application: Court may direct verified statement of partners' names and residential addresses.
Practical Note
Firm Litigation & Section 69 Partnership Act Bar: 1. Procedural Vehicle vs. Substantive Registration: In Purushottam Umedbhai & Co. v. Manilal & Sons (1961) 1 SCR 982, the Supreme Court held that Order XXX Rule 1 is a rule of procedural convenience. However, if the plaintiff firm is unregistered with the Registrar of Firms, Section 69(2) of the Indian Partnership Act, 1932 acts as an absolute substantive bar to filing a suit on a contract. 2. Verification by Single Partner: Unlike companies requiring Board Resolutions, any one registered partner can sign and verify plaints and engage counsel under Rule 1(2).
हिंदी पाठ
(1) कोई भी दो या अधिक व्यक्ति, जो भागीदारों (Partners) के रूप में दावा करते हैं या दायी हैं और भारत में कारबार चलाते हैं, उस फर्म के नाम से (यदि कोई हो) जिसके वे वादहेतुक (Cause of action) के पैदा होने के समय भागीदार थे, वाद ला सकेंगे या उन पर वाद लाया जा सकेगा; और ऐसे मामले में वाद का कोई भी पक्षकार उन व्यक्तियों के नामों और पतों के विवरण के लिए न्यायालय से आवेदन कर सकेगा जो वादहेतुक के पैदा होने के समय ऐसी फर्म में भागीदार थे, जिसे ऐसी रीति से दिया और सत्यापित किया जाएगा जैसा न्यायालय निदेश दे।
(2) जहां व्यक्ति उप-नियम (1) के अधीन अपनी फर्म के नाम से भागीदारों के रूप में वाद लाते हैं या उन पर वाद लाया जाता है, वहां इस संहिता द्वारा या इसके अधीन वादी या प्रतिवादी द्वारा हस्ताक्षरित, सत्यापित या प्रमाणित किए जाने के लिए अपेक्षित किसी भी अभिवचन या अन्य दस्तावेज की दशा में, यह पर्याप्त होगा कि ऐसा अभिवचन या अन्य दस्तावेज ऐसे व्यक्तियों में से किसी एक व्यक्ति द्वारा हस्ताक्षरित, सत्यापित या प्रमाणित किया जाए।