Pleading to state material facts and not evidence
Full Text
(1) Every pleading shall contain, and contain only, a statement in a concise form of the material facts on which the party pleading relies for his claim or defence, as the case may be, but not the evidence by which they are to be proved.
(2) Every pleading shall, when necessary, be divided into paragraphs, numbered consecutively, each allegation being, so far as is convenient, contained in a separate paragraph.
(3) Dates, sums and numbers shall be expressed in a pleading in figures as well as in words.
Plain English Summary
Lays down the cardinal rule of civil drafting: pleadings must state only material facts (facta probanda) in concise form, and must never plead evidence (facta probantia) or bare law.
Key Legal Elements
- Material Facts vs. Evidence: Must plead Facta Probanda (facts necessary to establish cause of action/defense), NOT Facta Probantia (evidence proving those facts).
- No Law to be Pleaded: Plead facts giving rise to legal rights, not statutory sections or abstract legal arguments.
- Consecutively Numbered Paragraphs: One distinct factual averment per paragraph.
- Numbers and Dates in Words & Figures: Mandatory compliance for clarity and avoiding typographical disputes.
Practical Note
The Cardinal Rule of Courtroom Pleading: 1. Landmark Precedents on Material Facts: — Udhav Singh v. Madhav Rao Scindia (1976) 2 SCC 17: Supreme Court authoritatively defined 'material facts' as all primary facts that must be proved at the trial by a party to establish an actionable cause of action or defense. Omission of even a single material fact leads to an incomplete cause of action. — Virender Nath Gautam v. Satpal Singh (2007) 3 SCC 617: Exhaustive distinction between 'material facts' (must be pleaded) and 'particulars/evidence' (need not be pleaded unless fraud/misrepresentation). 2. No Evidence in Pleadings: Never reproduce witness testimonies, chain of custody, or evidentiary correspondence verbatim in plaints. Merely plead the factual transaction. 3. Variance between Pleading and Proof: In Trojan & Co. v. RM. N.N. Nagappa Chettiar (AIR 1953 SC 235), the Supreme Court ruled that no party can be permitted to lead evidence on a fact not pleaded. Decision cannot be founded on grounds outside the pleadings.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) प्रत्येक अभिवचन में केवल उन सारवान् तथ्यों (Material facts) का संक्षिप्त रूप में कथन होगा जिन पर अभिवचन करने वाला पक्षकार, यथास्थिति, अपने दावे या प्रतिरक्षा के लिए निर्भर करता है, किंतु वह साक्ष्य नहीं होगा जिसके द्वारा वे साबित किए जाने हैं (Facta probanda, not facta probantia)।
(2) प्रत्येक अभिवचन, जहां आवश्यक हो, क्रमवार संख्यांकित पैराओं में विभाजित होगा, और प्रत्येक अभिकथन जहां तक सुविधाजनक हो, पृथक पैरा में होगा।
(3) अभिवचन में तारीखें, राशियां और संख्याएं अंकों के साथ-साथ शब्दों में भी अभिव्यक्त की जाएंगी।