Examination of serving officer
Full Text
Where a summons is returned under rule 17, the Court shall, if the return under that rule has not been verified by the affidavit of the serving officer, and may, if it has been so verified, examine the serving officer on oath, or cause him to be so examined by another Court, touching his proceedings, and may make such further enquiry in the matter as it thinks fit; and shall either declare that the summons has been duly served or order such service as it thinks fit.
Plain English Summary
Obligates the court to examine the process server on oath where an affixture return under Rule 17 lacks a verifying affidavit, empowering further inquiry before declaring due service.
Key Legal Elements
- Mandatory Examination if No Affidavit: Court has no discretion; MUST examine process server on oath if return lacks affidavit.
- Discretionary Examination with Affidavit: Court may still examine process server even if affidavit is filed.
- Declaration of Due Service: Formal judicial order declaring summons 'duly served' is a condition precedent before setting defendant ex parte.
Practical Note
Appellate & Setting Aside Grounds: 1. Fatal Defect for Ex Parte Decrees: If the trial court proceeded ex parte based on an unverified affixture report without examining the serving officer on oath under Rule 19, the entire ex parte proceedings are incurably defective and liable to be set aside.
हिंदी पाठ
जहां समन नियम 17 के अधीन वापस किया जाता है वहां यदि उस नियम के अधीन विवरणी तामीलकर्ता अधिकारी के शपथपत्र द्वारा सत्यापित नहीं की गई है तो न्यायालय उस अधिकारी की उसकी कार्यवाहियों के संबंध में शपथ पर परीक्षा करेगा, और यदि वह इस प्रकार सत्यापित की गई है तो ऐसी परीक्षा कर सकेगा, तथा मामले में ऐसी अतिरिक्त जांच कर सकेगा जैसी वह उचित समझे; और या तो यह घोषित करेगा कि समन सम्यक् रूप से तामील हो गया है अथवा ऐसी तामील का आदेश देगा जैसी वह ठीक समझे।