Dismissal of suit where plaintiff after summons returned unserved, fails for seven days to apply for fresh summons
Full Text
(1) Where after a summons has been issued to the defendant, or to one of several defendants, and returned unserved, the plaintiff fails, for a period of seven days from the date of the return made to the Court by the officer ordinarily certifying to the Court returns made by the serving officers, to apply for the issue of a fresh summons the Court shall make an order that the suit be dismissed as against such defendant, unless the plaintiff has within the said period satisfied the Court that—
(a) he has failed after using his best endeavours to discover the residence of the defendant, who has not been served, or
(b) such defendant is avoiding service of process, or
(c) there is any other sufficient cause for extending the time,
in which case the Court may extend the time for making such application for such period as it thinks fit.
(2) In such case the plaintiff may (subject to the law of limitation) bring a fresh suit.
Plain English Summary
Requires the plaintiff to apply for fresh summons within 7 days of an unserved return, failing which the suit is dismissed against that defendant, with carve-outs for best efforts, evasive defendants, or extension requests.
Key Legal Elements
- Strict 7-Day Window: Reduced by 1976 Amendment from 1 year to 7 days (or 1 month in some local amendments).
- Trigger Point: Date of the report certifying unserved return by the process service officer.
- Three Defenses to Avoid Dismissal: (a) Inability to locate address despite best endeavors; (b) Defendant evading service (ground for Order V Rule 20 substituted service); (c) Any other sufficient cause.
- Effect of Dismissal: Operates only against the unserved defendant; plaintiff can file fresh suit subject to limitation.
Practical Note
Strategic Use of Rule 5 in Civil Courts: 1. Application for Substituted Service: When summons returns unserved with report 'door locked' or 'refused', immediately file: 'Application on behalf of Plaintiff under Order V Rule 20 read with Order IX Rule 5 CPC for Substituted Service by Publication / Affixation'. Filing this within 7 days protects against dismissal. 2. Partial Dismissal: Dismissal under Rule 5 is only against the unserved defendant, not against other co-defendants who have been served.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) जहां प्रतिवादी को, या कई प्रतिवादियों में से किसी एक को समन जारी किए जाने के पश्चात वह बिना तामील हुए वापस आ जाता है, और वादी तामील करने वाले अधिकारियों द्वारा की गई विवरणियों को न्यायालय को सामान्यतः प्रमाणित करने वाले अधिकारी द्वारा न्यायालय को की गई विवरणी की तारीख से सात दिन (7 Days) की अवधि के भीतर नया समन जारी करने के लिए आवेदन करने में असफल रहता है, वहां न्यायालय यह आदेश करेगा कि ऐसे प्रतिवादी के विरुद्ध वाद खारिज कर दिया जाए, जब तक कि वादी उक्त अवधि के भीतर न्यायालय का यह समाधान न कर दे कि—
(क) उसने अपने सर्वोत्तम प्रयासों के पश्चात भी उस प्रतिवादी के निवास-स्थान का पता लगाने में असफलता प्राप्त की है जिसकी तामील नहीं हुई है, या
(ख) ऐसा प्रतिवादी आदेशिका की तामील से बच रहा है, या
(ग) समय बढ़ाने के लिए कोई अन्य पर्याप्त हेतुक है,
जिस दशा में न्यायालय ऐसे आवेदन करने के लिए समय को ऐसी अवधि के लिए बढ़ा सकेगा जो वह ठीक समझे।
(2) ऐसी दशा में वादी (परिसीमा विधि के अधीन रहते हुए) नया वाद ला सकेगा।