Power of Court to fix a date of appearance in the Court where plaint is to be filed after its return
Full Text
(1) Where, in any suit, after the defendant has appeared, the Court is of opinion that the plaint should be returned, it shall, before doing so, intimate its decision to the plaintiff.
(2) Where an intimation is given to the plaintiff under sub-rule (1), the plaintiff may make an application to the Court—
(a) specifying the Court in which he proposes to present the plaint after its return,
(b) praying that the Court may fix a date for the appearance of the parties in the said Court, and
(c) requesting that the notice of the date so fixed may be given to him and to the defendant.
(3) Where an application is made by the plaintiff under sub-rule (2), the Court shall, before returning the plaint and notwithstanding that the order for return of plaint was made by it on the ground that it has no jurisdiction to try the suit,—
(a) fix a date for the appearance of the parties in the Court in which the plaint is proposed to be presented, and
(b) give to the plaintiff and to the defendant notice of such date for appearance.
(4) Where the notice of the date for appearance is given under sub-rule (3),—
(a) it shall not be necessary for the Court in which the plaint is presented after its return, to serve the defendant with a summons for appearance in the suit, unless that Court, for reasons to be recorded, otherwise directs, and
(b) the said notice shall be deemed to be a summons for the appearance of the defendant in the Court in which the plaint is presented on the date so fixed by the Court by which the plaint was returned.
(5) Where the application made by the plaintiff under sub-rule (2) is allowed by the Court, the plaintiff shall not be entitled to appeal against the order returning the plaint.
Plain English Summary
Establishes an expedited procedural mechanism where the court returning a plaint fixes a binding date of appearance in the transferee court, eliminating the requirement of issuing fresh summons on the defendant.
Key Legal Elements
- Inserted by 1976 Amendment: Prevents delays and service evasion upon return of plaint.
- Intimation by Court: Court intimates decision to plaintiff before physical return.
- Notice Deemed Summons: Appearance notice serves as statutory summons in the new court.
- Bar on Appeal (Sub-rule 5): Invoking Rule 10A estops the plaintiff from appealing against the return order.
Practical Note
Litigation Tactic: If the court is determined to return your plaint for lack of territorial jurisdiction, immediately invoke Rule 10A(2) to bind the defendant to a specific date in the proper court. This prevents the defendant from evading fresh summons for months.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) जहां किसी वाद में प्रतिवादी के उपसंजात होने के पश्चात न्यायालय की यह राय है कि वादपत्र वापस किया जाना चाहिए, वहां वह ऐसा करने से पूर्व अपने विनिश्चय की सूचना वादी को देगा।
(2) वादी न्यायालय को आवेदन कर सकेगा जिसमें—(क) उस न्यायालय को विनिर्दिष्ट करेगा जिसमें वह वापसी के पश्चात वादपत्र प्रस्तुत करना चाहता है, (ख) प्रार्थना करेगा कि न्यायालय उस न्यायालय में पक्षकारों की उपसंजाति के लिए कोई तारीख नियत करे, तथा (ग) दोनों पक्षकारों को उस तारीख की सूचना देने का अनुरोध करेगा।
(3) न्यायालय अधिकारिता न होने के बावजूद उस नए न्यायालय में पक्षकारों की उपसंजाति के लिए एक तारीख नियत करेगा और दोनों पक्षों को नोटिस देगा।
(4) ऐसी सूचना नए न्यायालय में प्रतिवादी पर समन की तामील समझी जाएगी और नए समन की आवश्यकता नहीं होगी।
(5) जहां वादी का यह आवेदन स्वीकार कर लिया जाता है, वहां वादी वादपत्र वापस करने वाले आदेश के विरुद्ध अपील करने का हकदार नहीं होगा।