Service
Full Text
Where persons are sued as partners in the name of their firm, the summons shall be served either—
(a) upon any one or more of the partners, or
(b) at the principal place at which the partnership business is carried on within India upon any person having, at the time of service, the control or management of the partnership business there,
as the Court may direct; and such service shall be deemed good service upon the firm so sued, whether all or any of the partners are within or without India: Provided that, in the case of a partnership which has been dissolved to the knowledge of the plaintiff before the institution of the suit, the summons shall be served upon every person within India whom it is sought to make liable.
Plain English Summary
Specifies valid modes of serving summons on a partnership firm (either on any partner or upon the principal manager at the principal place of business), with a crucial Proviso mandating individual service on every partner if the firm was dissolved to the plaintiff's knowledge prior to the suit.
Key Legal Elements
- Dual Alternative Modes: (a) Any one or more partners, or (b) Manager in control at principal place of business.
- Deemed Good Service: Effective service on the firm irrespective of overseas residence of other partners.
- Mandatory Dissolved Firm Proviso: If plaintiff knows the firm is dissolved, individual service on each targeted partner is compulsory.
Practical Note
Service on Dissolved Partnerships — Supreme Court Rule: 1. Dissolved Firm Jurisprudence: In Gajendra Narain Singh v. Johrimal Prahlad Rai (1964) 1 SCR 930, the Supreme Court stressed that the Proviso to Rule 3 is mandatory. If the plaintiff had notice of dissolution before filing the suit, service on one partner or the old manager does NOT bind the other retired/former partners; a decree obtained without serving them individually is a nullity against their personal assets. 2. Service on Principal Manager: If serving under clause (b), ensure the process server delivers the written notice required by Rule 5 specifying that the recipient is served as 'manager'.
हिंदी पाठ
जहां व्यक्तियों पर उनकी फर्म के नाम से भागीदारों के रूप में वाद लाया जाता है, वहां समन की तामील—
(क) किसी एक या अधिक भागीदार पर, अथवा
(ख) भारत के भीतर उस मुख्य स्थान पर जहां भागीदारी कारबार चलाया जाता है, किसी ऐसे व्यक्ति पर जिसका तामील के समय वहां भागीदारी कारबार पर नियंत्रण या प्रबंध है,
जैसा न्यायालय निदेश दे, की जाएगी; और ऐसी तामील इस प्रकार वादग्रस्त फर्म पर अच्छी तामील (Good service) समझी जाएगी, चाहे सभी या कोई भी भागीदार भारत के भीतर हों या बाहर: परंतु ऐसी भागीदारी की दशा में जिसका वाद संस्थित करने से पूर्व वादी की जानकारी में विघटन (Dissolution) हो चुका है, समन की तामील भारत के भीतर के प्रत्येक ऐसे व्यक्ति पर की जाएगी जिसे दायी ठहराया जाना चाहा गया है।