NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY ODISHA, CUTTACK CUTTACK
5th
SEMESTER
(2013-2014)
PROJECT ON: WRITTEN STATEMENTS
CHAPTER 1: WRITTEN STATEMENT
In legal dictionary te !ord !ritten "tate#ent #ean" a $leading %or de%ence& To'g te e($re""ion o% !ritten "tate#ent a" not )een de%ined in te Ci*il $roced're code e($licitly, one can "ay tat, +it i" a ter# o% "$eci%ic connotation ordinarily "igni%ying a re$ly to te $laint %iled )y te $lainti%%&- In oter !ord", a !ritten !ord i" a $leading o% te "tate#ent !erein e deal" !it e*ery #aterial %act alleged )y te $lainti%% in i" $laint and al"o "tate" any ne! %act" in i" %ac*o'r or ta.e" legal o)/ection" again"t te c lai# o% te $lainti%%&0 A !ritten "tate#ent #ay )e %iled )y te de%endant or )y i" d'ly con"tit'ted agent& Were tere are "e*eral de%endant" and a co##on !ritten "tate#ent i" %iled )y te#, it #'"t )e "igned )y all o% te#& It i", o!e*er, "'%%icient i% it i" *eri%ied )y one o% te# !o i" a!are o% te %act" o% te ca"e and i" in a $o"ition to %ile an a%%ida*it&1 2't, a !ritten "tate#ent %iled )y one de%endant doe" not )ind te oter de%endant"&3 Te de%endant "all, !itin tirty day" %ro# te date o% "er*ice o% "'##on" o i#, $re"ent a !ritten "tate#ent o% i" de%en"e& 4ro*ided tat, !ere te de%endant %ail" to %ile te !ritten "tate#ent !itin te "aid $eriod o% tirty day", e "all )e allo!ed to %ile te "a#e on "'c oter day, a" #ay )e "$eci%ied )y te co'rt, %or rea"on" to )e recorded in !riting, )'t !ic "all in no ca"e )e later tan 56 day" %ro# te date o% "er*ice o% "'##on"& A care%'l reading o% te lang'age in !ic Order VIII, R'le - a" )een dra%ted, "o!" tat it ca"t" an o)ligation on te de%endant" to %ile te !ritten "tate#ent !itin 16 day" %ro# te date o% "er*ice o% "'##on" on i# and !itin te e(tended ti#e %alling !itin 56 day"& Te $ro*i"ion doe" not deal !it te $o!er o% te Co'rt and al"o doe" not "$eci%ically ta.e a!ay te $o!er o% te co'rt to ta.e te !ritten "tate#ent on record to'g %iled )eyond te ti#e a" $ro*ided %or& Secondly, te nat're o% te $ro*i"ion contained in Order VIII, R'le - i" $roced'ral& It i" not a 1 7ood Cor$oration o% india * Yada* Engineer and Contractor, 8-590: 0 SCC 355 2 3 ;'ge"ar Ti!ari * Seo$'/an Ti!ary, AIR -59< 4at 1= 4 id
$art o% te "')"tanti*e la!& In Sale# 2ar A""ociation * Union o% India=, te S'$re#e Co'rt a" "tated tat te $ro*i"ion" incl'ding $ro*i"o to R'le -,Order 9 o% te code are not #andatory )'t directory& Tird o% all& Te o)/ect )eind "')"tit'ting Order VIII, R'le - in te $re"ent "a$e i" to c'r) te #i"cie% o% 'n"cr'$'lo'" de%endant" ado$ting dilatory tactic", delaying te di"$o"al o% ca"e"> #'c to te cargin o% te $lainti%%" and al"o to te "erio'" incon*enience o% te Co'rt %aced !it %re?'ent $rayer" %or ad/o'rn#ent"& Te o)/ect i" to e($edite te earing and not to "c'ttle te "a#e& It a" )een eld tat in Sale# Ad*ocate 2ar A""ociation * Union o% India< tat delay can )e condoned and !ritten "tate#ent can )e acce$ted e*en a%ter te e($iry o% 56 day" %ro# te date o% "er*ice o% "'##on" in e(ce$tionally ard ca"e"& Te *ery %act tat R'le -6 i" reintrod'ced )y te Act 00 o% 0660 )y te $arlia#ent !o'ld "o! tat te $arlia#ent ne*er intended te ci*il co'rt" to $rono'nce /'dge#ent i##ediately a%ter te %ail're on te a$rt o% te de%endant to %ile te !ritten "tate#ent !itin 56 day"& Te $roce"" o% /'"tice #ay )e "$eeded '$ and 'rried, )'t te %airne"", !ic i" a )a"ic ele#ent o% /'"tice cannot )e $er#ited to )e )'ried& In 2an' K'#ar ;ain * Arcana K'#ar,@ te S'$re#e Co'rt eld tat te $ro*i"ion" o% R'le -6, Order 9 o% te code e*en in a ca"e !ere no !ritten "tate#ent a" )een %iled , te Co'rt #ay direct te $artie" to add'ce e*idence in !ic ca"e te Co'rt #ay $a"" a decree '$on recording a "ati"%action tat te $lainti%% a" )een a)le to $ro*e i" ca"e&
5 AIR 066= SC 11=1 6 id 7 AIR 2005 SC 626
AMENDMENT OF WRITTEN STATEMENTS
Te Co'rt" are #ore genero'" in allo!ing te a#end#ent o% te !ritten "tate#ent a" te ?'e"tion o% te $re/'dice i" le"" li.ely to o$erate in tat e*ent&Te de%endant a" a rigt to ta.e alternati*e $lea in de%ence !ic, o!e*er, i" "')/ect to an e(ce$tion tat )y te $ro$o"ed a#end#ent te oter "ide "o'ld not )e "')/ected in in/'"tice and any ad#i""ion #ade in %a*o'r o% te $lainti%% i" not !itdra!n& In B.K. Narayan Pillai v Parameshwaran Pillai,9 te S'$re#e Co'rt eld tat te $rinci$le" a$$lica)le to a#end#ent" o% !ritten "tate#ent"& Ho!e*er, Co'rt" are #ore genero'" in allo!ing a#end#ent" to !ritten "tate#ent" a" a ?'e"tion o% $re/'dice i" le"" li.ely to ari"e& All a#end#ent" o% te $leading" !ic are nece""ary %or te deter#ination o% te real contro*er"y in te "'it "o'ld )e allo!ed $ro*ided tat te $ro$o"ed a#end#ent doe" not a#end alter or "')"tit'te a ne! ca'"e o% action& Incon"i"tent or contrary allegation in
te negation to te
ad#itted $o"ition o% %act" "o'ld not )e allo!ed to )e incor$orated *ia #ean" o% an a#end#ent& Te $o!er to allo! a#end#ent" can )e e(erci"ed at any "tage o% te $roceeding" in te intere"t o% /'"tice&5 Te delay in %iling te $etition %or a#end#ent #'"t )e $ro$erly co#$en"ated )y co"t" and any error or #i"ta.e !ic, i% not %ra'd'lent, "o'ld )e #ade a gro'nd %or re/ecting a$$lication"&
8 AIR 2000 SC 614 9 State of Maharashtra v Hindustan Constrution Co!"an# $td% AIR 2010 SC 1299
WHO MAY FILE WRITTEN STATEMENT