Course to be followed by minor plaintiff or applicant on attaining majority
Full Text
(1) A minor plaintiff or a minor not a party to a suit on whose behalf an application is pending shall, on attaining majority, elect whether he will proceed with the suit or application.
(2) Where he elects to proceed with the suit or application, he shall apply for an order discharging the next friend and for leave to proceed in his own name.
(3) The title of the suit or application shall in such case be corrected so as to read henceforth thus: "A.B., late a minor by C.D., his next friend, but now having attained majority.".
(4) Where he elects to abandon the suit or application, he shall, if a sole plaintiff or sole applicant, apply for an order to dismiss the suit or application on repayment of the costs incurred by the defendant or opposite party or which may have been paid by his next friend.
(5) Any application under this rule may be made ex parte but no order discharging a next friend and permitting a minor plaintiff to proceed in his own name shall be made without notice to the next friend.
Plain English Summary
Prescribes the statutory procedure when a minor plaintiff attains majority during the suit, requiring an election to proceed (discharging the next friend and amending cause title) or abandon the litigation upon compensating costs.
Key Legal Elements
- Doctrine of Election: Absolute right to choose between continuing or abandoning the suit.
- Discharge of Next Friend (Sub-rule 2): Next friend relieved of procedural liability.
- Statutory Amendment of Title (Sub-rule 3): Formal correction of cause title on the record.
- Mandatory Notice to Next Friend (Sub-rule 5): Next friend must receive notice before discharge.
Practical Note
Procedure Upon Attaining Majority During Litigation: 1. Filing Election Application: As soon as a minor plaintiff turns 18, move an application under Order XXXII Rule 12 with an affidavit and birth certificate praying to: (a) Discharge the next friend, (b) Amend the cause title, and (c) Permit the plaintiff to prosecute the suit independently. 2. Inadvertent Omission: Proceeding without formally discharging the next friend is an irregularity, but counsel should rectify it before final judgment to avoid execution complications.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) अवयस्क वादी अथवा वाद का गैर-पक्षकार अवयस्क जिसकी ओर से कोई आवेदन लंबित है, वयस्कता प्राप्त करने पर यह निर्वाचन (Elect) करेगा कि क्या वह वाद या आवेदन में आगे बढ़ेगा।
(2) जहां वह वाद या आवेदन में आगे बढ़ने का निर्वाचन करता है, वहां वह वाद-मित्र को उन्मोचित (Discharge) करने के आदेश के लिए तथा अपने स्वयं के नाम से आगे बढ़ने की इजाजत के लिए आवेदन करेगा।
(3) वाद या आवेदन के शीर्षक को ऐसी दशा में शुद्ध किया जाएगा ताकि वह इसके पश्चात इस प्रकार पढ़ा जाए: "क.ख., पूर्व में अवयस्क द्वारा ग.घ. उसका वाद-मित्र, किंतु अब वयस्कता प्राप्त कर चुका"।
(4) जहां वह वाद या आवेदन का परित्याग करने का निर्वाचन करता है, वहां वह एकमात्र वादी होने पर, प्रतिवादी द्वारा उपगत खर्चों के प्रतिसंदाय पर वाद को खारिज करने के आदेश हेतु आवेदन करेगा।
(5) इस नियम के अधीन कोई भी आवेदन एकपक्षीय किया जा सकेगा किंतु वाद-मित्र को सूचना दिए बिना उसे उन्मोचित करने और वादी को स्वयं आगे बढ़ने का आदेश नहीं दिया जाएगा।