ORDER XVI SUMMONING AND ATTENDANCE OF WITNESSES - RULE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 OF CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE 1908

What is List of witnesses and summons to witnesses? What is the procedure for Production of witnesses without summons? What is the meaning of Expenses of witness to be paid into Court on applying for summons? How to Tender of expenses to witness? What is the Procedure where insufficient sum paid in? What is the meaning of Time, place and purpose of attendance to be specified in summons? What is Summons to produce document? What is Power to require persons present in Court to give evidence or produce document? Rule 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of Order XVI of Code of Civil Procedure 1908

List of witnesses and summons to witnesses, Production of witnesses without summons, Expenses of witness to be paid into Court on applying for summons, Tender of expenses to witness, Procedure where insufficient sum paid in, Time, place and purpose of attendance to be specified in summons, Summons to produce document and Power to require persons present in Court to give evidence or produce document are defined under Rule 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of Order XVI of Code of Civil Procedure 1908. Provisions under these Rules are:


 

Rule 1 Order XVI of Code of Civil Procedure 1908 "List of witnesses and summons to witnesses"

 (1) On or before such date as the Court may appoint, and not later than fifteen days after the date on which the issues are settled, the parties shall present in Court a list of witnesses whom they propose to call either to give evidence or to produce documents and obtain summonses to such persons for their attendance in Court.

(2) A party desirous of obtaining any summons for the attendance of any person shall file in Court an application stating therein the purpose for which the witness is proposed to be summoned.

(3) The Court may, for reasons to be recorded, permit a party to call, whether by summoning through Court or otherwise, any witness, other than those whose names appear in the list referred to in sub-rule (1), if such party shows sufficient cause for the omission to mention the name of such witness in the said list.

(4) Subject to the provisions of sub-rule (2), summonses referred to in this rule may be obtained by the parties on an application to the Court or to such officer as may be appointed by the Court in this behalf.

 

Rule 1A Order XVI of Code of Civil Procedure 1908 "Production of witnesses without summons"

A Subject to the provisions of sub-rule (3) of rule 1, any party to the suit may, without applying for summons under rule 1, bring any witness to give evidence or to produce documents.

 

Rule 2 Order XVI of Code of Civil Procedure 1908 "Expenses of witness to be paid into Court on applying for summons"

(1) The party applying for a summons shall, before the summons is granted and within a period to be fixed, pay into Court such a sum of money as appears to the Court to be sufficient to defray the traveling and other expenses of the person summoned in passing to and from the Court in which he is required to attend, and for one day's attendance.

(2) Experts- In determining the amount payable under this rule, the Court may, in the case of any person summoned to give evidence as an expert, allow reasonable remuneration for the time occupied both in giving evidence and in performing any work of an expert character necessary for the case.

(3) Scale of expenses- Where the Court is subordinate to a High Court, regard shall be had, in fixing the scale of such expenses, to any rules made in that behalf.

(4) Expenses to be directly paid to witnesses- Where the summons is served directly by the party on a witness, the expenses referred to in sub-rule (1) shall be paid to the witness by the party or his agent.

 

Rule 3 Order XVI of Code of Civil Procedure 1908 "Tender of expenses to witness"
The sum so paid into Court shall be tendered to the person summoned, at the time of serving the summons, if it can be served personally.

 

Rule 4 Order XVI of Code of Civil Procedure 1908 "Procedure where insufficient sum paid in"

(1) Where it appears to the Court or to such officer as it appoints in this behalf that the sum paid into Court is not sufficient to cover such expenses or reasonable remuneration, the Court may direct such further sum to be paid to the person summoned as appears to be necessary on that account, and, in case of default in payment, may order such sum to be levied by attachment and sale of the movable property of the party obtaining the summons; or the Court may discharge the person summoned without requiring him to give evidence; or may both order such levy and discharge such person as aforesaid.

(2) Expenses of witnesses detained more then one day- Where it is necessary to detain the person summoned for a longer period than one day, the Court may, from time to time, order the party at whose instance he was summoned to pay into Court such sum as is sufficient to defray the expenses of his detention for such further period, and, in default of such deposit being made, may order such sum to be levied by attachment and sale of the removable property of such party; or the Court may discharge the person summoned without requiring him to give evidence; or may both order such levy and discharge such person as aforesaid.

 

Rule 5 Order XVI of Code of Civil Procedure 1908 "Time, place and purpose of attendance to be specified in summons"

Every summons for the attendance of a person to give evidence or to produce a document shall specify the time and place at which he is required to attend, and also whether his attendance is required for the purpose of giving evidence or to produce a document, or for both purposes; and any particular document, which the person summoned is called on to produce, shall be described in the summons with reasonable accuracy.

 

Rule 6 Order XVI of Code of Civil Procedure 1908 "Summons to produce document"

Any person may be summoned to produce a document, without being summoned to give evidence, and any person summoned merely to produce a document shall be deemed to have complied with the summons if he causes such document to be produced instead of attending personally to produce the same.

 

Rule 7 Order XVI of Code of Civil Procedure 1908 "Power to require persons present in Court to give evidence or produce document"

Any person present in Court may be required by the Court to give evidence or to produce any document then and there in his possession or power.

 

Rule 7A Order XVI of Code of Civil Procedure 1908 "Summons given to party for service"

(1) The Court may, on the application of any party for the issue of a summons for the attendance of any person, permit such party to effect service of such summons on such person and shall, in such a case, deliver the summons to such party for service.

(2) The service of such summons shall be effected by or on behalf of such party by delivering or tendering to the witness personally a copy thereof signed by the Judge or such officer of the Court as he may appoint in this behalf and sealed with the seal of the Court.

(3) The provisions of rules 16 and 18 of Order V shall apply to a summons personally served under this rule as if the person effecting service were a serving officer.

(4) If such summons, when tendered, is refused or if the person served refuses to sign and acknowledgement of service or for any reason such summons cannot be served personally, the Court shall, on the application of the party, re-issue such summons to be served by the Court in the same manner as a summons to a defendant.

(5) Where a summons is served by a party under this rule, the party shall not be required to pay the fees otherwise chargeable for the service of summons.