Verification of pleadings in a commercial dispute
Full Text
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in Rule 15, every pleading in a commercial dispute shall be verified by an affidavit in the manner and form prescribed in the Appendix to this Schedule.
(2) An affidavit under sub-rule (1) above shall be signed by the party or by one of the parties to the proceedings, or by any other person on behalf of such party or parties who is proved to the satisfaction of the Court to be acquainted with the facts of the case and who is duly authorised by such party or parties.
(3) Where a pleading is amended, the amendments must be verified in the form and manner referred to in sub-rule (1) unless the Court orders otherwise.
(4) Where a pleading is not verified in the manner provided under sub-rule (1), the party shall not be permitted to rely on such pleading as evidence or any of the matters set out therein.
(5) The Court may strike out a pleading which is not verified by a Statement of Truth, namely, the affidavit set out in the Appendix to this Schedule.
Plain English Summary
Enforces the mandatory 'Statement of Truth' affidavit for all commercial pleadings under the Commercial Courts Act, 2015, empowering the court to strike out unverified pleadings and barring parties from relying on them in evidence.
Key Legal Elements
- Statement of Truth Mandatory: Overrides Rule 15 for all commercial suits of specified value.
- Inadmissibility in Evidence (Sub-rule 4): Unverified pleading cannot be relied upon as evidence.
- Striking Out Power (Sub-rule 5): Court has express jurisdiction to strike out a plaint or written statement lacking a Statement of Truth.
- Applies to Amendments: Every amended pleading must be independently accompanied by a fresh Statement of Truth.
Practical Note
Commercial Court Weapon: 1. Fatal Defect in Commercial Suits: Under Rule 15A(4) & (5), filing a commercial plaint or written statement without the prescribed 'Statement of Truth' affidavit is fatal. In Prayag Polytech Pvt. Ltd. v. Raj Kumar Tulsian (2023), High Courts held that while curable within limitation, persistent failure to file Statement of Truth warrants striking out the pleading entirely. 2. Strike-Out Application Header: 'Application on behalf of Plaintiff under Order VI Rule 15A(5) CPC for Striking Out the Written Statement of Defendant for failure to file Statement of Truth'.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) नियम 15 में किसी बात के होते हुए भी, किसी वाणिज्यिक विवाद में प्रत्येक अभिवचन इस अनुसूची के परिशिष्ट में विहित रीति और प्ररूप में एक शपथपत्र द्वारा सत्यापित किया जाएगा।
(2) उपनियम (1) के अधीन शपथपत्र पर पक्षकार द्वारा या पक्षकारों में से किसी एक द्वारा अथवा ऐसे पक्षकार या पक्षकारों की ओर से किसी अन्य व्यक्ति द्वारा हस्ताक्षर किए जाएंगे जिसके बारे में न्यायालय के समाधानप्रद रूप में यह साबित हो कि वह मामले के तथ्यों से परिचित है।
(3) जहां अभिवचन संशोधित किया जाता है वहां संशोधनों को भी उपनियम (1) की रीति में सत्यापित किया जाना चाहिए।
(4) जहां अभिवचन उपनियम (1) में उपबंधित रीति से सत्यापित नहीं है, वहां पक्षकार को ऐसे अभिवचन पर या उसमें कथित किसी विषय पर साक्ष्य के रूप में निर्भर रहने की अनुमति नहीं दी जाएगी।
(5) न्यायालय ऐसे किसी अभिवचन को काट (Strike out) सकेगा जो 'सत्यता के कथन' (Statement of Truth) अर्थात् इस अनुसूची के परिशिष्ट में दिए गए शपथपत्र द्वारा सत्यापित नहीं है।