Throughout the history of the use of the term in Latin, ‘prima facie’ meant only the most cursory, initial impression. It retained that meaning upon its adoption into colloquial English. The term ‘prima facie’ is used in the law both as an adjective and as an adverb. Common Law Courts which developed the judicial meaning […]
Read more "Prima Facie"“We think it profitable to examine the scheme of Order 6, Rule 16: “16. Striking out pleadings – Court may at any stage of the proceedings order to be struck out or amended any matter in any pleading – (a) which may be unnecessary, scandalous, frivolous or vexatious, or (b) which may tend to prejudice, […]
Read more "Order 6, Rule 16 of The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908"Enviro Legal Action v. Union of India, (2011) 8 SCC 161 elaborated scope of Article 137. Kamlesh Verma v. Mayawati, (2013) 8 SCC 320 further held as under: (A) Review Maintainability: Discovery of new and important matter or evidence which, after the exercise of due diligence, was not within knowledge or could not be produced; […]
Read more "The Nature of Judicial Power: Powers of Review of Supreme Court I"“In K.K. Velusamy, (2011) 11 SCC 275 while dealing with the power of Court under Order 18, Rule 17 this Court held that :- “Order 18, Rule 17 of the Code enables Court, at any stage of a suit, to recall any witness who has been examined (subject to the law of evidence for the […]
Read more "Order 18, Rule 17 of The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908"My Lord, Independent of the provisions contained in Codes of Civil and Criminal Procedure is there a source of power which the Supreme Court can invoke for directing transfer of a case from or to the State of Jammu and Kashmir? Yes. “The fact that there is no such enabling provision for transfer from or […]
Read more "The Real Apprehension in Transferring Cases II"“An application under Order 7, Rule 11 can be filed at any stage. The only restriction is that the consideration of the application for rejection should not be on the basis of the allegations made in the written statement or on the basis of the allegations in the application for rejection of the plaint. Court […]
Read more "The Drastic Power of Rejecting a Plaint II"“It is not open either to parties to a lis or to any third parties, to determine at their own, that an Order passed by a Court is valid or void. A party to the lis or a third party, who considers an Order passed by a Court as void or non est, must approach […]
Read more "Setting Aside Orders"‘Res judicata’ literally means a ‘thing adjudicated‘ or ‘an issue that has been definitively settled by judicial decision‘. The principle operates as a bar to try the same issue once over. It aims to prevent multiplicity of proceedings and accords finality to an issue, which directly and substantially had arisen in the former suit between the […]
Read more "Res Judicata – Cause of Action"My Lord, What is the meaning of the expression “specific provision to the contrary” in Section 4(1) of The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908? The scheme of Section 4(1), as its marginal note provides, is to ‘save’ any special or local law from the applicability of The Code of Civil Procedure. The said Section therefore […]
Read more "Section 4(1) of The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908"Though the Rule of Casus Omissus i.e. “what has not been provided for in the statute cannot be supplied by Courts” is a strict rule of interpretation there are certain well known exceptions thereto. The following opinion of Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Ltd. v. Asher, (1949) 2 All ER 155 should be taken […]
Read more "Casus Omissus"Last month, I hesitated in characterizing why New India Assurance was an uncomfortable decision. Dave, Sen and Ghose JJ were clear, Kailash, (2005) 4 SCC 480 “ought to have respected the view expressed” in J.J. Merchant, (2002) 6 SCC 635. Kailash has been an important tool in my hands in civil suits. Procedure can be […]
Read more "Kailash v. Nanhku, (2005) 4 SCC 480"“In Monnet Ispat v. Union of India, (2012) 11 SCC 1 this Court while enumerating principles relating to Doctrine of Promissory Estoppel and Legitimate Expectation has clearly held, protection of legitimate expectation does not require fulfillment of expectation where an overriding public interest requires otherwise. In other words, personal benefit must give way to public […]
Read more "The Doctrine of Legitimate Expectation II"My Lord, Costs of Rs. 10 Lakhs for False/Misleading Affidavit? Yes. “A global search of cases pertaining to the filing of a false affidavit indicates that the number of such cases that are reported has shown an alarming increase in the last fifteen years as compared to the number of such cases prior to that. […]
Read more "Filing False Affidavits"“Seeking transfer at the drop of a hat is inconceivable. An order of transfer is not to be passed as a matter of routine or merely because an interested party has expressed some apprehension about proper conduct of the trial. The power has to be exercised cautiously and in exceptional situations, where it becomes necessary […]
Read more "The Real Apprehension in Transferring Cases I"“What has been stated in paragraph 31 in the case of J.S. Yadav, (2011) 6 SCC 570 [as per B.S. Chauhan J.] does not even follow from the authorities referred to therein. We have explained the authority in J.S. Yadav and opined that it has to rest on its own facts keeping in view the declaratory […]
Read more "A Subsequently Appointed Employee : A Necessary Party?"My Lord, Defendant can always Defend? “In cases where the Defendant has raised a triable issue or a reasonable defence, the Defendant is entitled to ‘unconditional leave to defend’; leave is granted to defend even in cases where the Defendant upon disclosing a fact, though lacks the defence, makes a positive impression that at the […]
Read more "Unconditional Leave to Defend"Paragraph 37, Salem Advocate Bar Association v. Union of India, (2005) 6 SCC 344: “Judicial notice can be taken of the fact that many unscrupulous parties take advantage of the fact that either the costs are not awarded or nominal costs are awarded on the unsuccessful party. Unfortunately, it has become a practice to direct parties […]
Read more "Costs Jurisprudence I: Actual Reasonable Costs"Section 9A of The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 is a State Amendment to The Code, inserted by Section 3 of The Maharashtra Act No. 65/1977. Section 9A is mandatory in nature. It mandates the Court to decide the jurisdiction of the Court before proceeding with a suit and granting interim relief by way of injunction. In Kamalakar Eknath Salunkhe v. […]
Read more "The Plea of Limitation I: Section 9A of The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908"Yajnavalkya Smriti classifies concubines into two types: (1) Avaruddha and (2) Bhujasya. An Avaruddha Stree operates under an injunction to stay at the master’s home whereas a Bhujasya is not kept in the house but elsewhere. There is some protection for an Avaruddha Stree in modern India. There is a presumption in favor of a […]
Read more "Masterly Concubinage I"It is always interesting to note References to a Larger Bench, ones especially made on account of ‘difference’ of opinions amongst Equal Bench Strengths. Eventually, it is flocculation of law of the land; per incuriam decisions stand filtered, retaining still its historical significance. Which SC Judge is known to have scripted, most number of per incuriam decisions? […]
Read more "Referred to Larger Bench II (Answered): Suits of Borrower Against Banks"
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