Who may act as next friend or be appointed guardian for the suit
Full Text
(1) Any person who is of sound mind and has attained majority may act as next friend of a minor or as his guardian for the suit: Provided that the interest of such person is not adverse to that of the minor and that he is not, in the case of a next friend, a defendant, or, in the case of a guardian for the suit, a plaintiff.
(2) Where a minor has a guardian appointed or declared by competent authority, no person other than such guardian shall act as the next friend of the minor or be appointed his guardian for the suit unless the Court considers, for reasons to be recorded, that it is for the minor’s welfare that another person be permitted to act or be appointed, as the case may be.
(3) No person shall without his consent in writing be appointed guardian for the suit.
(4) Where there is no other person fit and willing to act as guardian for the suit, the Court may appoint any of its officers to be such guardian, and may direct that the costs to be incurred by such officer in the performance of his duties as such guardian shall be borne either by the parties or by any one or more of the parties to the suit, or out of any fund in Court in which the minor is interested or out of the property of the minor, and may give directions for the repayment or allowance of such costs as justice and the circumstances of the case may require.
Plain English Summary
Defines eligibility for next friends and guardians (adult, sound mind, non-adverse interest, not an opposing party), prioritizes certificated statutory guardians, mandates written consent under sub-rule (3), and empowers appointment of court officers as court guardians under sub-rule (4).
Key Legal Elements
- Basic Qualifications: Major of sound mind with zero conflict of interest.
- Bar on Opposing Parties: Next friend cannot be a defendant; Guardian cannot be a plaintiff.
- Priority for Certificated Guardians (Sub-rule 2): Court-appointed guardian takes precedence unless welfare demands otherwise.
- Mandatory Written Consent (Sub-rule 3): Express written consent required before appointing any person as guardian.
- Court Official as Guardian of Last Resort (Sub-rule 4): Appointing court reader/official with costs secured.
Practical Note
Written Consent Requirement is Mandatory: Under Sub-rule (3), no person can be appointed guardian ad litem without their express consent in writing. In practice, when proposing an uncle or elder brother as guardian, secure their signed written consent on affidavit and file it along with the application under Rule 3 to avoid court rejection.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) कोई भी व्यक्ति जो स्वस्थचित्त है और वयस्क हो चुका है, अवयस्क के वाद-मित्र के रूप में अथवा वाद के वास्ते उसके संरक्षक के रूप में कार्य कर सकेगा: परंतु यह तब जब कि ऐसे व्यक्ति का हित अवयस्क के हित के प्रतिकूल न हो और वह वाद-मित्र की दशा में प्रतिवादी, अथवा संरक्षक की दशा में वादी न हो।
(2) जहां किसी अवयस्क का कोई संरक्षक सक्षम प्राधिकारी द्वारा नियुक्त या घोषित किया गया है, वहां ऐसे संरक्षक से भिन्न कोई भी व्यक्ति अवयस्क के वाद-मित्र के रूप में कार्य नहीं करेगा और न संरक्षक नियुक्त किया जाएगा, जब तक कि न्यायालय अभिलिखित किए जाने वाले कारणों से यह न समझे कि यह अवयस्क के कल्याण (Welfare) के लिए है कि किसी अन्य व्यक्ति को कार्य करने की अनुज्ञा दी जाए।
(3) कोई भी व्यक्ति अपनी लिखित सहमति (Consent in writing) के बिना वाद के वास्ते संरक्षक नियुक्त नहीं किया जाएगा।
(4) जहां वाद के वास्ते संरक्षक के रूप में कार्य करने के लिए कोई अन्य उपयुक्त और इच्छुक व्यक्ति नहीं है, वहां न्यायालय अपने अधिकारियों में से किसी को ऐसा संरक्षक नियुक्त कर सकेगा, और यह निदेश दे सकेगा कि ऐसे संरक्षक के रूप में अपने कर्तव्यों के पालन में उस अधिकारी द्वारा उपगत किए जाने वाले खर्चे पक्षकारों द्वारा या अवयस्क की संपत्ति में से वहन किए जाएं।