The Guide to Summary Suit: Fast-Track Recovery of Money

In our previous weekly Gyaan session, we discussed Section 138 cases regarding cheque bounces. As a bonus tip, I mentioned that even if statutory timelines are missed, one can pursue legal recourse through a Summary Suit in Civil Court for amount recovery. The limitation period for filing a Summary Suit is three years from the date of cause of action.

L?e?g?a?l? F?r?a?m?e?w?o?r?k? a?n?d? S?c?o?p?e? S?u?m?m?a?r?y? S?u?i?t?s? a?r?e? g?o?v?e?r?n?e?d? b?y? O?r?d?e?r? 3?7? o?f? t?h?e? C?i?v?i?l? P?r?o?c?e?d?u?r?e? C?o?d?e?.? T?h?e?y? c?a?n? b?e? i?n?i?t?i?a?t?e?d? b?a?s?e?d? o?n? t?h?e? f?o?l?l?o?w?i?n?g? i?n?s?t?r?u?m?e?n?t?s?:?

1. ?????????? ???? ????????????????: Including dishonored cheques that have been returned unpaid

2. ????????????: Traditional financial instruments used for money transfer, similar to promissory notes (e.g., when one party promises to pay another a specified amount by a certain date)

3. ???????????????????? ??????????: Instruments containing a written promise to pay a defined sum of money on a specified future date

4. ???????????????? ???? ???????? ???? ???????????????????? ?????????????? ?????????????? ????????:

o Written contracts

o Statutory enactments

o Guarantees

???????????????? ??????????????????????: The amount in question must be fixed and pre-determined, such as unpaid electricity bills or loan amounts.

P?r?o?c?e?d?u?r?a?l? F?r?a?m?e?w?o?r?k? as? t?h?e? n?a?m?e? s?u?g?g?e?s?t?s?,? S?u?m?m?a?r?y? S?u?i?t?s? f?o?l?l?o?w? a?n? e?x?p?e?d?i?t?e?d? p?r?o?c?e?d?u?r?e? c?o?m?p?a?r?e?d? t?o? r?e?g?u?l?a?r? c?i?v?i?l? s?u?i?t?s?.? T?h?e? k?e?y? s?t?a?g?e?s? a?r?e?:?

1. ???????????? ???? ????????????: The Plaintiff institutes the suit

2. ?????????? ????????????: The court issues notice (judgment summons) to the Defendant

3. ??????????????????'?? ????????????????: Within 10 days of receiving notice, the Defendant may appear and file an application for leave to defend

4. ?????????????? ??????????????:

o Plaintiff gets an opportunity to respond to the Defendant's application

o Court hears the leave to defend application on its merits

o Court may grant conditional or unconditional leave to defend, or reject the application

5. ???????????????????? ??????????????????????:

o I?f? l?e?a?v?e? t?o? d?e?f?e?n?d? i?s? g?r?a?n?t?e?d?: The Summary Suit converts into a regular Recovery Suit

o I?f? l?e?a?v?e? i?s? r?e?j?e?c?t?e?d? o?r? D?e?f?e?n?d?a?n?t? f?a?i?l?s? t?o? a?p?p?e?a?r?: The court proceeds with evidence and judgment

I?m?p?o?r?t?a?n?t?: This procedure is not fixed, and parties may file various interim applications as needed during the proceedings.