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The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
♣An Act to consolidate and amend the laws relating to the Procedure of the Courts of Civil Judicature.
WHEREAS it is expedient to consolidate and amend the laws relating to the procedure of the Courts of Civil Judicature; It is hereby enacted as follows:-
PRELIMINARY
Short title, commencement and extent.
Definitions
Subordination of Courts.
Savings
Application of the Code of Revenue Courts.
Pecuniary Jurisdiction.
Small Cause Courts.
[Omitted]
Part I SUITS IN GENERAL
Jurisdiction of the Courts and Res Judicata
Courts to try all civil suits unless barred.
Stay of suit.
Res Judicata
Bar to further suit.
When foreign judgment not conclusive.
Presumption as to foreign judgments.
Place of Suing
Court in which suits to be instituted.
Suits to be instituted where subject-matter situate.
Suits for immovable property situate within jurisdiction of different Courts.
Place of institution of suit where local limits of jurisdiction of Courts are uncertain.
Suits for compensation for wrongs to person or movables.
Others suits to be instituted where defendants reside or cause of action arises.
Objections to jurisdiction.
Power to transfer suits which may be instituted in more than one Court.
To what Court application lies.
General power of transfer and withdrawal.
Appearance of parties on transfer of suit, etc.
[Omitted]
Institution of Suits
Institution of suits.
Summons and Discovery
Summons to defendants.
[Omitted]
Service of foreign summonses.
Power to order discovery and the like.
Summons to witness.
Penalty for default.
Judgment and Decree.
Judgment and decree.
Interest
Interest
Costs
Costs
35.(1) Subject to such conditions and limitations as may be prescribed, and to the provisions of any law for the time being in force, the costs of and incident to all suits shall be in the discretion of the Court, and the Court shall have full power to determine by whom or out of what property and to what extent such costs are to be paid, and to give all necessary directions for the purposes aforesaid. The fact that the Court has no jurisdiction to try the suit shall be no bar to the exercise of such powers.
(2) Where the Court directs that any costs shall not follow the event, the Court shall state its reasons in writing.
(3) The Court may give interest on costs at any rate not exceeding six per cent. per annum, and such interest shall be added to the costs and shall be recoverable as such.
Compensatory costs in respect of false or vexatious claims or defences.
27[35A.(1) If in any suit or other proceeding, including an execution proceeding, not being an appeal, any party objects to the claim or defence on the ground that the claim or defence, or any part of it, is false or vexatious, and if, thereafter, such claim or defence is disallowed, in whole or in part, the Court shall, after recording its reasons for holding such claim or defence to be false or vexatious, make an order for the payment to the objector, such cost by way of compensation which may, without exceeding the limit of the Court’s pecuniary jurisdiction, extend upto 28[fifty] thousand taka.
(2) No person against whom an order has been made under this section shall, by reason thereof, be exempted from any criminal liability in respect of any claim or defence made by him.
(3) The amount of any cost awarded under this section in respect of a false or vexatious claim or defence shall be taken into account in any subsequent suit for damages or compensation in respect of such claim or defence.]
Cost for delay in making applications, etc., in respect of interlocutory matters.
29[35B.(1) If at any stage of a suit or proceeding, an application or written objection is not filed within the time fixed by the Court, such application or written objection, as the case may be, shall not be admitted for hearing without payment by that party of such cost to the other party not exceeding two thousand taka.
(2) If after filing of written statement, any party to the suit makes an application in respect of any matter which, in the opinion of the Court, could and ought to have been made earlier, and is likely to delay the main proceeding of the suit, the Court may admit, but shall not hear and dispose of the application, without payment by that party of such cost to the other party not exceeding three thousand taka, as it shall determine and direct, and upon failure to pay the cost, the application shall stand rejected.]
Part II EXECUTION
General
Application to orders.
Definition of Court which passed a decree.
Courts by which decrees may be executed
Court by which decree may be executed.
Transfer of decree.
[Omitted]
Result of execution proceedings to be certified.
Powers of Court in executing transferred decree.
Execution of decrees passed by British Courts in places to which this Part does not extend or in foreign territory.
[Omitted]
Execution of decrees passed by Courts in the United Kingdom and other reciprocating territory.
[Omitted]
Precepts
[Omitted]
Limit of Time for Execution
Execution barred in certain cases.
Transferees and Legal Representatives
Transferee
Legal representative
Procedure in Execution
Powers of Court to enforce execution.
51. Subject to such conditions and limitations as may be prescribed, the Court may, on the application of the decree-holder, order execution of the decree-
(a) by delivery of any property specifically decreed;
(b) by attachment and sale or by sale without attachment of any property;
(c) by arrest and detention in prison;
(d) by appointing a receiver; or
(e) in such other manner 36[as may be provided hereinafter in the Code or] as the nature of the relief granted may require:
Provided that, where the decree is for the payment of money, execution by detention in prison shall not be ordered unless, after giving the judgment-debtor an opportunity of showing cause why he should not be committed to prison, the Court, for reasons recorded in writing, is satisfied-
(a) that the judgment-debtor, with the object or effect of obstructing or delaying the execution of the decree,-
(i) is likely to abscond or leave the local limits of the jurisdiction of the Court, or
(ii) has, after the institution of the suit in which the decree was passed, dishonestly transferred, concealed, or removed any part of his property, or committed any other act of bad faith in relation to his property; or
(b) that the judgment-debtor has, or has had since the date of the decree, the means to pay the amount of the decree or some substantial part thereof and refuses or neglects or has refused or neglected to pay the same, or
(c) that the decree is for a sum for which the judgment-debtor was bound in a fiduciary capacity to account.
Explanation.-In the calculation of the means of the judgment-debtor for the purposes of clause (b), there shall be left out of account any property which, by or under any law or custom having the force of law for the time being in force, is exempt from attachment in execution of the decree.
Enforcement of decree against legal representative.
52.(1) Where a decree is passed against a party as the legal representative of a deceased person, and the decree is for the payment of money out of the property of the deceased, it may be executed by the attachment and sale of any such property.
(2) Where no such property remains in the possession of the judgment-debtor and he fails to satisfy the Court that he has duly applied such property of the deceased as is proved to have come into his possession, the decree may be executed against the judgment-debtor to the extent of the property in respect of which he has failed so to satisfy the Court in the same manner as if the decree had been against him personally.
Liability of ancestral property.
53. For the purposes of section 50 and section 52, property in the hands of a son or other descendant which is liable under Hindu law for the payment of the debt of a deceased ancestor, in respect of which a decree has been passed, shall be deemed to be property of the deceased which has come to the hands of the son or other descendant as his legal representative.
Partition of estate or separation of share.
54. Where the decree is for the partition of an undivided estate assessed to the payment of revenue to the Government, or for the separate possession of a share of such an estate, the partition of the estate or the separation of the share shall be made by the Collector or any gazetted subordinate of the Collector deputed by him in this behalf, in accordance with the law (if any) for the time being in force relating to the partition, or the separate possession of shares, of such estates.
Arrest and Detention
Arrest and detention.
55.(1) A judgment-debtor may be arrested in execution of a decree at any hour and on any day, and shall, as soon as practicable, be brought before the Court, and his detention may be in the civil prison of the district in which the Court ordering the detention is situate, or, where such civil prison does not afford suitable accommodation, in any other place which the Government may appoint for the detention of persons ordered by the Courts of such district to be detained:
Provided, firstly, that, for the purpose of making an arrest under this section, no dwelling-house shall be entered after sunset and before sunrise:
Provided, secondly, that no outer door of a dwelling-house shall be broken open unless such dwelling-house is in the occupancy of the judgment-debtor and he refuses or in any way prevents access thereto, but when the officer authorised to make the arrest has duly gained access to any dwelling-house, he may break open the door of any room in which he has reason to believe the judgment-debtor is to be found:
Provided, thirdly, that, if the room is in the actual occupancy of a woman who is not the judgement-debtor and who according to the customs of the country does not appear in public, the officer authorised to make the arrest shall give notice to her that she is at liberty to withdraw, and, after allowing a reasonable time for her to withdraw and giving her reasonable facility for withdrawing, may enter the room for the purpose of making the arrest:
Provided, fourthly, that, where the decree in execution of which a judgment-debtor is arrested, is a decree for the payment of money and the judgment-debtor pays the amount of the decree and the costs of the arrest to the officer arresting him, such officer shall at once release him.
(2) The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, declare that any person or class of persons whose arrest might be attended with danger or inconvenience to the public shall not be liable to arrest in execution of a decree otherwise than in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed by the Government in this behalf.
(3) Where a judgment-debtor is arrested in execution of a decree for the payment of money and brought before the Court, the Court shall inform him that he may apply to be declared an insolvent, and that he may be discharged if he has not committed any act of bad faith regarding the subject of the application and if he complies with the provisions of the law of insolvency for the time being in force.
(4) Where a judgment-debtor expresses his intention to apply to be declared an insolvent and furnishes security, to the satisfaction of the Court, that he will within one month so apply, and that he will appear, when called upon, in any proceeding upon the application or upon the decree in execution of which he was arrested, the Court may release him from arrest, and, if he fails so to apply and to appear, the Court may either direct the security to be realized or commit him to the civil prison in execution of the decree.
Prohibition of arrest or detention of women in execution of decree for money.
56. Notwithstanding anything in this Part, the Court shall not order the arrest or detention in the civil prison of 37[an old, infirm, pregnant or breast-feeding woman] in execution of a decree for the payment of money.
[Omitted]
38[***]
Detention and release.
58.(1) Every person detained in the civil prison in execution of a decree shall be so detained,-
(a) where the decree is for the payment of a sum of money exceeding fifty Taka, for a period of six months, and,
(b) in any other case for a period of six weeks:
Provided that he shall be released from such detention before the expiration of the said period of six months or six weeks, as the case may be,-
(i) on the amount mentioned in the warrant for his detention being paid to the officer in charge of the civil prison, or
(ii) on the decree against him being otherwise fully satisfied, or
(iii) on the request of the person on whose application he has been so detained 39[:]
40[***]
Provided, also, that he shall not be released from such detention under clause (ii) or clause (iii), without the order of the Court.
(2) A judgment-debtor released from detention under this section shall not merely by reason of his release be discharged from his debt, but he shall not be liable to be re-arrested under the decree in execution of which he was detained in the civil prison.
Release on ground of illness.
59.(1) At any time after a warrant for the arrest of a judgment-debtor has been issued the Court may cancel it on the ground of his serious illness.
(2) Where a judgment-debtor has been arrested, the Court may release him if, in its opinion, he is not in a fit state of health to be detained in the civil prison.
(3) Where a judgment-debtor has been committed to the civil prison, he may be released therefrom-
(a) by the Government, on the ground of the existence of any infectious or contagious disease, or
(b) by the committing Court, or any Court to which that Court is subordinate, on the ground of his suffering from any serious illness.
(4) A judgment-debtor released under this section may be re-arrested, but the period of his detention in the civil prison shall not in the aggregate exceed that prescribed by section 58.
Attachment
Property liable to attachment and sale in execution of decree.
Partial exemption of agricultural produce.
Seizure of property in dwelling-house.
Property attached in execution of decrees of several Courts.
Private alienation of property after attachment to be void.
Sale
Purchaser’s title
Suit against purchaser not maintainable on ground of purchase being on behalf of plaintiff.
Power for Government to make rules as to sales of land in execution of decrees for payment of money.
Delegation to Collector of Power to Execute Decrees against Immovable Property
Power to prescribe rules for transferring to Collector execution of certain decrees.
Provisions of Third Schedule to apply.
Rules of procedure.
Collector deemed to be acting judicially.
Where Court may authorise Collector to stay public sale of land.
Distribution of Assets
Proceeds of execution-sale to be rateably distributed among decree-holders.
Resistance to Execution
Resistance to execution.
Part III INCIDENTAL PROCEEDINGS
Commissions
Power of Court to issue commissions.
[Omitted]
Letter of request.
Commissions issued by foreign Courts.
Part IV SUITS IN PARTICULAR CASES
Suits by or against the Government or Public Officers in their official capacity
Suits by or against the Government.
Notice
Exemption from arrest and personal appearance.
Execution of decree.
Suits by Aliens and by or against foreign Rulers, Ambassadors and Envoys
When aliens may sue.
When foreign States may sue.
Persons specially appointed by Government to prosecute or defend for Rules of foreign States.
Suits against Rulers.
Suits against diplomatic agents.
Style of Rulers as parties to suits.
[Suits Against Rulers of Acceding and Merged States
[Omitted]
Interpleader
Where interpleader suit may be instituted.
Part V SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS
[ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION]
[Omitted]
Mediation
61[89A.(1) Except in a suit under the 62[Artha Rin Adalat Ain, 2003 (Act No. 8 of 2003)], after filing of written statement, if all the contesting parties are in attendance in the Court in person or by their respective pleaders, 63[the Court shall], by adjourning the hearing, mediate in order to settle the dispute or disputes in the suit, or refer the dispute or disputes in the suit 64[to the concerned Legal Aid Officer appointed under the Legal Aid Act, 2000 (Act No. 6 of 2000), or] to the engaged pleaders of the parties, or to the party or parties, where no pleader or pleaders have been engaged, or to a mediator from the panel as may be prepared by the District Judge under sub-section (10), for undertaking efforts for settlement through mediation. 65[***}
(2) When the reference under sub-section (1) is made through the pleaders, the pleaders shall, by their mutual agreement in consultation with their respective clients, appoint another pleader, not engaged by the parties in the suit, or a retired judge, or a mediator from the panel as may be prepared by the District Judge under sub-section (10), or any other person whom they may seem to be suitable, to act as a mediator for settlement: Provided that, nothing in this sub-section shall be deemed to prohibit appointment of more than one person to act as mediator:
Provided further that, a person holding an office of profit in the service of the Republic shall not be eligible for appointment as mediator.
66[(3) While referring a dispute or disputes in the suit for mediation under sub-section (1), it shall be for the pleaders, their respective clients and the mediator to mutually agree on and determine the fees and the procedure to be followed for the purpose of settlement through mediation; and when the Court 67[ or Legal Aid Officer] shall mediate, it shall determine the procedure to be followed, and shall not charge any fee for mediation:
Provided that if the pleaders, their respective clients and the mediator fail to determine the fees, the Court shall fix the fees and the fees so fixed shall be binding upon the parties.]
68[(4) Within ten days from the date of reference under sub-section (1), the parties shall inform the Court in writing whom they have appointed as mediator, and if the parties fail to appoint the mediator during this time, the Court shall, within seven days, appoint a mediator from the panel as mentioned in sub-section (10) and the mediation under this section shall be concluded within 60 (sixty) days from the day on which the Court is so informed, 69[or the dispute or disputes are referred to Legal Aid Officer, or a mediator is appointed by the Court], as the case may be, unless the Court of its own motion or upon a joint prayer of the parties, extends the time for a further period of not exceeding 30 (thirty) days.]
70[(5) The 71[ Legal Aid Officer or mediator, as the case may be,] shall, without violating the confidentiality of the parties to the mediation proceedings, submit to the court a report of result of the mediation proceedings; and if the result is of compromise of the dispute or disputes in the suit, the terms of such compromise shall be reduced into writing in the form of an agreement, bearing signatures or left thumb impressions of the parties as executants, and signatures of the pleaders, if any, and the 72[ Legal Aid Officer or mediator, as the case may be,] as witnesses; and the Court shall, within seven days from receiving the said report, pass an order or a decree in accordance with relevant provisions of Order XXIII of the Code.]
(6) When the Court itself mediates, it shall 73[prepare a report and pass an order in the manner] to that as stated in sub-section (5).
(7) When the mediation fails to produce any compromise, the Court shall, subject to the provision of sub-section (9), proceed with hearing of the suit from the stage at which the suit stood before the decision to mediate or reference for mediation under sub-section (1), and in accordance with provisions of the Code in a manner as if there had been no decision to mediate or reference for mediation as aforesaid.
(8) The proceedings of mediation under this section shall be confidential and any communication made, evidence adduced, admission, statement or comment made and conversation held between the parties, their pleaders, representatives 74[, Legal Aid Officer] and the mediator, shall be deemed privileged and shall not be referred to and admissible in evidence in any subsequent hearing of the same suit or any other proceeding.
(9) When a mediation initiative led by the Court itself fails to resolve the dispute or disputes in the suit, the same court shall not hear the suit, if the Court continues to be presided by the same judge who led the mediation initiative; and in that instance, the suit shall be heard by another court of competent jurisdiction.
(10) For the purposes of this section, the District Judge shall, in consultation with the President of the District Bar Association, prepare a panel of mediators (to be updated from time to time) consisting of pleaders, retired judges, persons known to be trained in the art of dispute resolution, and such other person or persons, except persons holding office of profit in the service of the Republic, as may be deemed appropriate for the purpose, and shall inform all the Civil Courts under his administrative jurisdiction about the panel:
Provided that, a mediator under this sub-section, shall not act as a mediator between the parties, if he had ever been engaged by either of the parties as a pleader in any suit in any Court.
(11) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Court-fees Act, 1870 (Act No. VII of 1870), where a dispute or disputes in a suit are settled on compromise under this section, the Court shall issue a certificate directing refund of the court fees paid by the parties in respect of the plaint or written statement; and the parties shall be entitled to such refund within 60 (sixty) days of the issuance of the certificate.
(12) No appeal or revision shall lie against any order or decree passed by the Court in pursuance of settlement between the parties under this section.
(13) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to otherwise limit the option of the parties regarding withdrawal, adjustment and compromise of the suit under Order XXIII of the Code.
Explanation-(1) “Mediation” under this section shall mean flexible, informal, non-binding, confidential, non-adversarial and consensual dispute resolution process in which the mediator shall facilitate compromise of disputes in the suit between the parties without directing or dictating the terms of such compromise.
(2) “Compromise” under this section shall include also compromise in part of the disputes in the suit.
Arbitration
89B.(1) If the parties to a suit, at any stage of the proceeding, apply to the Court for withdrawal of the suit on ground that they will refer the dispute or disputes in the suit to arbitration for settlement, the Court shall allow the application and permit the suit to be withdrawn; and the dispute or disputes, thereafter, shall be settled in accordance with Salish Ain, 2001 (Act No. 1 of 2001) so far as may be applicable:
Provided that, if, for any reason, the arbitration proceeding referred to above does not take place or an arbitral award is not given, the parties shall be entitled to re-institute the suit permitted to be withdrawn under this sub-section.
(2) An application under sub-section (1) shall be deemed to be an arbitration agreement under section 9 of the Salish Ain, 2001 (Act No. 1 of 2001).]
Mediation in Appeal.
75[89C.(1) An Appellate Court 76[shall] mediate in an appeal or refer the appeal for mediation in order to settle the dispute or disputes in that appeal, if the appeal is an appeal from original decree under Order XLI, and is between the same parties who contested in the original suit or the parties who have been substituted for the original contesting parties.
77[(2) In mediation under sub-section (1), the provisions of section 89A shall be followed with necessary changes (mutatis mutandis) as may be expedient.]]
Special provisions for mediation
78[89D. The Contesting parties to a suit or of an appeal, pending in any Court before the commencement of the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2012, may by filing an application stating their willingness to settle the dispute through mediation, such suit or appeal shall be disposed of in accordance with the provision of section 89A or 89C.
Application and commencement of the provisions of sections 89A and 89C
89E. (1) The provision of section 89A or 89C shall be, applied to such area, and commenced on such date, as the government may, by notification in the official Gazette, fix.
(2) Where any mediation process for settlement of dispute in respect of any suit or appeal is pending under section 89A or 89C before the commencement of the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2012, such mediation shall continue as if the provision of section 89A or 89C were not amended by the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2012.]
Special Case
Power to state case for opinion of Court.
Suits relating to Public Matters
Public nuisances
Public charities
Exercise of powers of Attorney General.
Part VI SUPPLEMENTAL PROCEEDINGS
Supplemental proceedings
Direction in execution of orders, etc
83[94A. For the purpose of execution of any decree or order, the Court may direct the executive authorities, including law enforcement agencies, to assist any person designated by it and to submit compliance report within the time specified by it.]