CondonationofDelayandLawoflimitation

Source:http://www.legalserviceindia.com
Author:yashvardhan
Publishedon:February20,2011
Lawoflimitation:
TheCodeofCivilProcedureconfersarighttoappeal,butdoes
notprescribeaperiodoflimitationforfilinganappeal.The

LimitationAct,1963,however,providestheperiodoffilingup
appeals.Itstatesthattheappealsagainstadecreeorordercanbe
filedinaHighCourtwithinninetydaysandinanyothercourtin
thirtydaysfromthedateofthedecreeororderappealedagainst.

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Itisforgeneralwelfarethataperiodbeputonlitigation.Further,itisageneralprincipleof
lawthatlawismadetoprotectonlydiligentandvigilantpeople.Equityaidsthevigilantand
nottheindolent.Lawwillnotprotectpeoplewhoarecarelessabouttheirrights.(Vigilantibus
nondomientibusjurAsubventiunt).Moreover,thereshouldbecertaintyinlawandmatters
cannotbekeptinsuspenseindefinably.Itis,therefore,providedthatCourtsofLawcannotbe
approachedbeyondfixedperiod.Incivilmatters,thelimitisprovidedinLimitationAct,1963.
The'LawofLimitation'prescribesthetimelimitfordifferentsuitswithin,whichanaggrieved
personcanapproachthecourtforredressorjustice.Thesuit,iffiledaftertheexplorationof
timelimit,isstruckbythelawoflimitation.It'sbasicallymeanttoprotectthelongand
establisheduserandtoindirectlypunishpersonswhogointoalongslumberovertheirrights.
Thestatutorylawwasestablishedinstages.TheveryfirstLimitationActwasenactedforall
courtsinIndiain1859.AndfinallytooktheformofLimitationActin1963.
Acitizenisnotexpectedtomasterthevariousprovisionswhichprovideforlimitationin
differentmattersbutcertainbasicknowledgeinthisregardisnecessary.Forinstance,Section
12oftheLimitationActlaysdowncertainguidelinesregardingcomputationoflimitation
period.Itsaysthatincomputingtheperiodoflimitationforanysuit,appealorapplication,the
dayfromwhichsuchperiodistobereckoned,shallbeexcluded.
Further,thedayonwhichthejudgmentcomplainedofwaspronouncedandthetimerequisite
forobtainingacopyofthedecree,sentenceororderappealedfromshallbeexcluded.
However,anytimetakenbythecourttopreparethedecreeororderbeforeanapplicationfora
copythereofismadeshallnotbeexcluded.
Section14oftheact,similarly,saysthatincomputingtheperiodoflimitationforanysuit,the
timeduringwhichtheplaintiffhasbeenprosecutingincivilproceedings,whetherinacourtof
firstinstanceorofappealorrevisionagainstthedefendantshallbeexcludedwherethe
proceedingsrelatetothesamematterinacourtwhichisunabletoentertainitonaccountof
defectofjurisdictionorothercauseofalikenature.
Whatdoeslimitationperiodmean?
Thelawprescribesdifferentperiodswithinwhichapersonwhohasagrievanceshouldgoto
court.Forexample,ifsomebodyhasborrowedyourmoneyandnotreturnedit,youshould

approachthecourtwithinthreeyearsfromthedateyoulentthemoney.Ifyoudon'tgotothe
courtwithinthattime,thecourtswillnotbeofhelptorecoveryourmoney.Thisiscalledthe
limitationperiod.Afterthelimitationperiod,youcannotenforceyourrightsinacourt.The
LimitationAct1963prescribesdifferentlimitationperiodsfordifferentkindsofclaims.Some
otherActssuchastheConsumerProtectionActalsoprescribelimitationperiods
Inthebareact:
Baroflimitation(1)Subjecttotheprovisionscontainedinsections4to24(inclusive)every
suitinstituted,appealpreferred,andapplicationmadeaftertheprescribedperiodshallbe
dismissedalthoughlimitationhasnotbeensetupasdefense
(1)ForthepurposesofthisAct,
(a)Asuitisinstituted,
(i)inanordinarycase,whentheplaintispresentedtotheproperofficer
(ii)inthecaseofapauper,whenhisapplicationforleavetosueisapauperismadeand
(ii)inthecaseofaclaimagainstacompanywhichisbeingwoundupbythecourt,whenthe
claimantfirstsendsinhisclaimtotheofficialliquidator
(b)anyclaimbywayofasetofforacounterclaim,shallbetreatedasaseparatesuitandshall
bedeemedtohavebeeninstituted
(i)inthecaseofasetoff,onthedamedateasthesuitinwhichthesetoffispleaded
(ii)inthecaseacounterclaim,onthedateonwhichthecounterclaimismadeincourt
(c)anapplicationbynoticeofmotioninaHighCourtismadewhentheapplicationis
presentedtotheproperofficerofthatcourt.
Shorttitle,extentandcommencement(1)ThisActmaybecalledtheLimitationAct,1963.
2.ItextendstothewholeofIndiaexcepttheStateofJammuandKashmir.
3.ItshallcomeintoforceonsuchdateastheCentralGovernmentmaybenotificationinthe
OfficialGazette,appoint.
BAROFLIMITATIONSubjecttoprovisionsofsections4to24oftheAct(i.e.Limitation
Act),everysuitinstituted,appealpreferredandapplicationmadeaftertheprescribedperiod
shallbedismissed,althoughlimitationhasnotbeensetupasadefence.[section3(1)].
Periodoflimitationmeanstheperiodoflimitationprescribedforanysuit,appealor
applicationbythescheduletotheActandprescribedperiodmeanstheperiodoflimitation
computedasperprovisionsoftheAct.[section2(j)].
PERIODASPRESCRIBEDINSCHEDULETOTHEACTTheperiodhasbeenprescribed
inScheduletotheAct.Generally,itisasfollows(a)3yearsforasuitrelatingtoaccounts,
contracts,declarations,decrees,suitsrelatingtomovableproperty,recoveryoflawsuitunder
acontractetc.(b)12yearsforsuitsrelatingtopossessionofimmovablepropertyand30years
formortgagedproperty(c)Oneyearforsuitrelatingtotorts(3yearsforcompensationin
certaincases(d)30to90daysincaseofappealsunderCivilProcedureCodeandCriminal

ProcedureCode.Periodoffilingappealandapplicationcanbeextendedifpropercauseis
shown(butnotthesuit)[section5].
IFCOURTISCLOSEDONLASTDAYIfcourtisclosedonlastdayoflimitation,suit,
appealorapplicationcanbefiledonnextdaywhenCourtreopens.[section4].
CONTINUOUSRUNNINGOFTIMEWhenonceperiodoflimitationstartsrunning,it
continuesevenifthereisanysubsequentdisabilityorinabilitytoinstituteasuitormakean
application.[section9].However,ifatthetimewhenpersonisentitledtofileasuitor
makeapplication,ifapersonwasdisabled(ashewasminororinsane),theperiodoflimitation
willstartafterthedisabilityisremoved.[section6(1)].
Amisjoinderofpartiesorofcauseofactionshallbedeemedtobeacauseofalikenature
mentionedabove.UnderSection15oftheact,thetimeduringwhichaninjunctionorrestraint
orderissuedbyacourtremainsinforce,istobeexcludedwhilecomputingtheperiodof
limitationforanysuitorapplicationfortheexecutionofadegree.Incases,wheretheprevious
consentorsanctionofthegovernmentoranyotherauthorityisrequiredunderthelaw,the
timerequiredforobtainingsuchconsentorsanctionshallbeexcluded.Whereadefendanthas
beenabsentfromIndia,thetimeduringwhichhehasbeenabsentcanbeexcludedfromthe
periodoflimitation.
Incase,theprescribedperiodforanysuit,appealorapplicationexpiresonadaywhenthe
courtisclosed,thesuit,appealorapplicationmaybeinstitutedonthedaywhenthecourt
reopens,asprovidedunderSection4oftheact.Thisisbasedontheprinciple"actuscurial
neminemgravabit",whichmeansthatanactofcourtshallnotprejudiceanyone.Thecourt
cancondonethedelay,ifsatisfiedthatitcauseswerebeyondthecontroloftheplaintifftoo.
CondonationofdelayRule3A:
Condonancemaybemadewhenanaccuserhaspreviouslyforgivenorcondoned(insomeway
oratsomelevel)theactaboutwhichtheyarecomplaining.Insomelegaljurisdictions,andfor
certainbehaviours,itmaypreventtheaccuserfromprevailing.
Rule3AhasbeeninsertedbytheAmendmentActof1976.Itprovidesthatwhereanappeal
hasbeenpresentedaftertheexpiryoftheperiodoflimitationspecifiedtherefor,itshallbe
accompaniedbyanapplicationthattheapplicanthassufficientcausefornotpreferringthe
appealwithinthetime.
Priortotheinsertionofrule3A,thepracticewastoadmitsuchanappealsubjecttothe
opinionregardinglimitation.Thispracticewasdisapprovedbyprivycouncil,anditstressed
theexpediencyofadoptingaprocedureforsecuringthefinaldeterminationofthequestionas
tolimitationbeforeadmissionofappeal.Thisruleisaddedtogiveeffecttogiveeffecttothe
recommendationoftheprivycouncil.
AsobservedbytheSupremeCourtintheStateofM.Pv.PrandeepKumar,theobjectofthe
provisionistwofoldfrstlytoinformtheappellantthatthedelayedappealwillnotbe
entertainedunlessitisaccompaniedbyanapplicationaccompanyingthedelayandsecondly,
tocommunicatetotherespondentthatitmaynotbenecessaryforhimtogetreadyonmerits
asthecourthastofirstdealwithanapplicationforcondonationofdelayasacondition
precedent.Theprovisionis,however,directorynotmandatory.Ifthememorandumofappeal
isfiledwithoutanaccompanyingapplicationforcondonationofdelaytheconsequenceisnot

necessarilyfatal.Thedefectiscurable.
JudicialActions:
RajBahadurSingh&Anotherv.D.J.&Others(CivilMisc.WritPetitionNo.12718of2002):
AccordingtothelearnedJudgetheapplication4Gahadbeenrejectedontwogroundsfirstly
beingbarredbylimitationandsecondlybeingwithoutanyvalidground.Thus,theappealfiled
bytherespondentswasfullymaintainable.HefurthersubmittedthatthelearnedDistrictJudge
videorderdated11.2.2002hadadmittedtheappealwhileoverrulingthepreliminary
objectionsandthewritpetitionfiledbythepetitionersisnotmaintainable.
Inthepresentcasethequestionisastowhetheranappealliesagainstanorderpassedbythe
trialCourtwhereinithadbyacommonorderrejectedboththeapplicationsundersection5of
theLimitationActandOrder9Rule13C.P.C.onthegroundthattheapplicationisbarredby
Limitationandnogroundforcondonationofdelayhasbeenmadeout,orarevisionlies.Ifitis
heldthatnoappealliesthentheorderadmittingtheappealiswhollywithoutjurisdictionand
insuchacircumstanceawritpetitionismaintainable.
StateofJammuandKashmirv/sGhulamRasoolRather
J&KLimitationAct,S.3CondonationofdelaySufficientcauseWhatamountstoOn
thefactsofthecase,heldthatthecauseshownwasreasonableandsatisfactoryDelay
condoned.
Theexpression"sufficientcause"insection5oftheLimitationActshouldreceivealiberal
constructionsoastoadvancesubstantialjustice.Rulesoflimitationarenotmeanttodestroy
therightsoftheparties.Theyaremeanttoseethatpartiesdonotresorttodeliberatetactics,
butseektheirremedypromptly.Whileconsideringacaseforcondonationofdelay,thecourt
mustalwaysrememberthatineverycaseofdelaytherecanbesomelapseonthepartofthe
litigantconcerned.Thataloneisnotsufficienttoturndownhispleaandshutthedooragainst
him.Iftheexplanationdoesnotsmackofmalafidesoritisnotputforthaspartofadilatory
strategythecourtmustshowutmostconsiderationtothesuitor.Butwhenthereisreasonable
groundtothinkthatthedelaywasoccasionedbythepartydeliberatelytogaintime,thenthe
courtshouldleanagainstacceptanceoftheexplanation.Thediscretionexercisedinthematter
ofcondonationofdelayshouldbeproperandjudicious.
Conclusion:
ThuswecanunderstandfromtheaboveexamplesthatlawofLimitationandCondonationof
Delayaretwoeffectiveimplementationsinthequickdisposalofcasesandeffectivelitigation.
Ontheonehandifthelawoflimitationkeepsacheckonthepullingofcasesandprescribesa
timeperiodwithinwhichthesuitcanbefiledandthetimeavailablewithinwhichtheperson
cangettheremedyconveniently.ThelawofCondonationofDelaykeepstheprincipleof
naturaljusticealiveandalsostatesthefactthatdifferentpeoplemighthavedifferent
problemasandthesamesentenceorasingularrulemaynotapplytoalloftheminthesame
way.Thusitisessentialtohearthemanddecideaccordinglywhethertheyfitinthecriteriaof
thejudgementorwhethertheydeserveasecondchance.
#http://www.vakilno1.com/bareacts/limitationact/PART2/S3.html
#www.dateyvs.com/gener08.htmviewedonaugust282010
#www.answers.com/topic/condonationviewedonaugust282010
#(2000)7SCC372
Theauthorcanbereachedat:yash@legalserviceindia.com