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Laws & Rules

The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
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ORDER XLI : APPEALS FROM ORIGINAL DECREES ( Order & Rules )
Rule-1. Form of appeal. What to accompany memorandum

(1) Every appeal shall be preferred in the form of a memorandum signed by the appellant or his pleader and presented to the Court or to such officer as it appoints in this behalf. The memorandum shall be accompanied by a copy of the decree appealed from and (unless the Appellate Court dispenses therewith) of the Judgment on which it is founded.

Contents of memorandum

(2) The memorandum shall set forth, concisely and under distinct heads, the grounds of objection to the decree appealed from without any argument or narrative; and such grounds shall be numbered consecutively.

Rule-2. Grounds which may be taken in appeal

The appellant shall not, except by leave of the Court, urge or be heard in support of any ground of objection not set forth in the memorandum of appeal; but the Appellate Court, in deciding the appeal, shall not be confined to the grounds of objection set forth in the memorandum of appeal or taken by leave of the Court under this rule:

Provided that the Court shall not rest its decision on any other ground unless the party who may be affected thereby has had a sufficient opportunity of contesting the case on that ground.

Rule-3. Rejection or amendment of memorandum

(1) Where the memorandum of appeal is not drawn up in the manner hereinbefore prescribed, it may be rejected, or be returned to the appellant for the purpose of being amended within a time to be fixed by the Court or to be amended then and there.

(2) Where the Court rejects any memorandum, it shall record the reasons for such rejection.

(3) Where a memorandum of appeal is amended, the Judge, or such officer as he appoints in this behalf, shall sign or initial the amendment.

Rule-4. One of several plaintiffs of defendants may obtain reversal of whole decree where it proceeds on ground common to all

Where there are more plaintiffs or more defendants than one in a suit, and the decree appealed from proceeds on any ground common to all the plaintiffs or to all the defendants, any one of the plaintiffs or of the defendants may appeal from the whole decree, and thereupon the Appellate Court may reverse or vary the decree in favour of all the plaintiffs or defendants, as the case may be.

Rule-5. Stay by Appellate Court

(1) An appeal shall not operate as a stay of proceedings under a decree or order appealed from except so far as the Appellate Court may order, nor shall execution of a decree be stayed by reason only of an appeal having been preferred from the decree; but the Appellate Court may for sufficient cause order stay of execution of such decree.

Stay by Court which passed the decree

(2) Where an application is made for stay of execution of an appealable decree before the expiration of the time allowed for appealing therefrom, the Court which passed the decree may on sufficient cause being shown order the execution to be stayed.

(3) No order for stay of execution shall be made under sub-rule (1) or sub-rule (2) unless the Court making it is satisfied-

(a) that substantial loss may result to the party applying for stay of execution unless the order is made;

(b) that the application has been made without unreaso-nable delay; and

(c) that security has been given by the applicant for the due performance of such decree or order as may ultimately be binding upon him.

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (3), the Court may make an ex parte order for stay of execution pending the hearing of the application.

Rule-6. Security in case of order for execution of decree appealed from

(1) Where an order is made for the execution of a decree from which an appeal is pending, the Court which passed the decree shall, on sufficient cause being shown by the appellant, require security to be taken for the restitution of any property which may be or has been taken in execution of the decree or for the payment of the value of such property and for the due performance of the decree or order of the Appellate Court, or the Appellate Court may for like cause direct the Court which passed the decree to take such security.

2) Where an order has been made for the sale of immoveable property in execution of a decree, and an appeal is pending from such decree, the sale shall, on the application of the judgment debtor to the Court which made the order, be stayed on such terms as to giving security or otherwise as the Court thinks fit until the appeal is disposed of.

Rule-7.

[Repealed by the Government of India (Adaptation of Indian Laws) Order, 1937.]

Rule-8. Exercise of powers in appeal from order made in execution of decree

The powers conferred by rules 5 and 6 shall be exercisable where an appeal may be or has been preferred not from the decree but from an order made in execution of such decree.

Rule-9. Registry of memorandum of appeal

(1) Where a memorandum of appeal is admitted, the Appellate Court or the proper officer of that Court shall endorse thereon the date of presentation, and shall register the appeal in a book to be kept for the purpose.
(2) Such book shall be called the Register of Appeals.

Rule-10. Appellate Court may require appellant to furnish security for costs

(1) The Appellate Court may, in its discretion, either before the respondent is called upon to appear and answer or afterwards on the application of the respondent, demand from the appellant security for the costs of the appeal, or of the original suit, or of both:

Where appellant resides out of Bangladesh

Provided that the Court shall demand such security in all cases in which the appellant is residing out of Bangladesh, and is not possessed of any sufficient immoveable property within Bangladesh other than the property (if any) to which the appeal relates.

(2) Where such security is not furnished within such time as the Court orders, the Court shall reject the appeal.

Rule-11. Power to dismiss appeal without sending notice to Lower Court

(1) The appellate Court, after sending for the record if it thinks fit so to do, and after fixing a day for hearing the appellant or his pleader and hearing him accordingly if he appears on that day, may dismiss the appeal without sending notice to the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred and without serving notice on the respondent or his pleader.

(2) If on the day fixed or any other day to which the hearing may be adjourned the appellant does not appear when the appeal is called on for hearing, the Court may make an order that the appeal be dismissed.

(3) The dismissal of an appeal under this rule shall be notified to the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred.

Rule-12. Day for hearing appeal

(1) Unless the Appellate Court dismisses the appeal under rule 11, it shall fix a day for hearing the appeal.

(2) Such day shall be fixed with reference to the current business of the Court, the place of residence of the respondent, and the time necessary for the service of the notice of appeal, so as to allow the respondent sufficient time to appear and answer the appeal on such day.

Rule-12A. Adjournment in appeal

(1) The Appellate Court shall not grant more than three adjournments for hearing of an appeal at the instance of either party to the appeal, and any adjournment granted to a party beyond the aforesaid limit shall make such party liable to pay such cost which shall not be less than two hundred taka and more than one thousand taka to the other party as the Court may deem appropriate and determine, non-compliance with which, by the appellant shall render the appeal liable to be dismissed and, by the respondent shall render the appeal liable to be disposed of ex parte.

(2) An appeal dismissed or disposed of ex parte under sub-rule (1) shall not be revived for hearing unless the party, for whose non-compliance the appeal was dismissed or disposed of ex parte, makes, within thirty days of such dismissal or ex parte disposal, an application to the court for such revival; and upon such application being made, the Court shall award such cost as shall not be less than two hundred taka and more than one thousand taka as it may deem appropriate and determine, and the cost being deposited, the appeal shall be revived for hearing without any further proceeding; and the cost deposited in the Court shall be paid by it to the other party:

Provided that no appeal shall be revived more than once at the instance of the same party under this rule.

(3) The Appellate Court shall not, of its own, order any adjournment at the stage of hearing of appeal without recording reasons therefor.]

Rule-13. Appellate Court to give notice to Court whose decree appealed from

(1) Where the appeal is not dismissed under rule 11, the Appellate Court shall send notice of the appeal to the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred.

Transmission of papers to Appellate Court

(2) Where the appeal is from the decree of a Court, the records of which are not deposited in the Appellate Court, the Court receiving such notice shall send with all practicable dispatch all material papers in the suit, or such papers as may be specially called for by the Appellate Court.

Copies of exhibits in Court whose decree Appealed from

(3) Either party may apply in writing to the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred, specifying any of the papers in such Court of which he requires copies to be made; and copies of such papers shall be made at the expense of, and given to, the applicant.

Rule-14. Publication and service of notice of day for hearing appeal

[(1) Notice of the day fixed under rule 12 shall be affixed in the Appellate Court-house, and a like notice shall be sent by the Appellate Court to the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred and shall be served on the respondent in the manner provided for the service on a defendant of a summons to appear and answer. Simultaneously with the issue of such summons a copy of the notice shall be served by registered post with acknowledgment due addressed to the respondent and all the provisions applicable to summons upon a defendant in a suit, and to proceedings with reference to the service thereof, shall apply to the service of such notice.]

Appellate Court may itself cause notice to be served

(2) Instead of sending the notice to the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred, the Appellate Court may itself cause the notice to be served on the respondent or his pleader under the provisions above referred to.

Rule-14. Contents of notice

The notice to the respondent shall declare that, if he does not appear in the Appellate Court on the day so fixed, the appeal will be heard ex parte.

Rule-15A. Prosecution of an appeal

Where, after admission of an appeal in the High Court Division, the rules of the High Court Division, require the appellant to take any steps in the prosecution of the appeal, and the appellant fails to take such steps within the time allowed or extended under the said rules, the Court may direct the appeal to be dismissed for want of prosecution or may pass such other order as it thinks fit.]

Rule-16. Right to begin

(1) On the day fixed, or on any other day to which the hearing may be adjourned, the appellant shall be heard in support of the appeal.

(2) The Court shall then, if it does not dismiss the appeal at once, hear the respondent against the appeal, and in such case the appellant shall be entitled to reply.

Rule-17. Dismissal of appeal for appellant's default

(1) Where on the day fixed, or on any other day to which the hearing may be adjourned, the appellant does not appear when the appeal is called on for hearing, the Court may make an order that the appeal be dismissed.

Hearing appeal ex parte

(2) Where the appellant appears and the respondent does not appear, the appeal shall be heard ex parte

Rule-18. Dismissal of appeal where notice not served in consequence of appellant's failure to deposit costs

Where on the day fixed, or on any other day to which the hearing maybe adjourned, it is found that the notice to the respondent had not been served in consequence of the failure of the appellant to deposit, within the period fixed, the sum required to defray the cost of serving the notice, the Court may make an order that the appeal be dismissed:

Provided that no such order shall be made although the notice has not been served upon the respondent, if on any such day the respondent appears when the appeal is called on for hearing.

Rule-19. Re-admission of appeal dismissed for default

(1) Where an appeal is dismissed under rule 11, sub-rule (2), or rule 15A or rule 17 or rule 18, the appellant may apply to the Appellant Court for the re-admission of the appeal; and, where it is proved that he was prevented by any sufficient cause from appearing when the appeal was called on for hearing or from depositing the sum so required, the Court shall re-admit the appeal on such terms as to costs or otherwise as it thinks fit.

(2) Provisions of section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1908 shall apply to applications under sub-rule (1).

Rule-19A. Direct re-admission of appeal

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in rule 19 or any other law, the Court may, in order to avoid delay and expedite disposal, directly re-admit without requiring the appellant to adduce evidence to satisfy it about sufficient causes as required under rule 19:

Provided that the appeal under this rule shall not be re-admitted unless an application, supported by affidavit, praying for such re-admission is made to the Court within thirty days of the date on which the appeal is dismissed for default:

Provided further that no appeal shall be re-admitted more than once under this rule.

(2) As soon as an order under sub-rule (1) is made to re-admit an appeal, the Court shall cause notice thereof to be served at the cost of the appellant upon the respondent who appeared in the appeal.]

Rule-20. Power to adjourn hearing and direct persons appearing interested to be made respondents

Where it appears to the Court at the hearing that any person who was a party to the suit in the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred, but who has not been made a party to the appeal, is interested in the result of the appeal the Court may adjourn the hearing to a future day to be fixed by the Court and direct that such person be made a respondent.

Rule-21. Re-hearing on application of respondent against whom ex parte decree made

Where an appeal is heard ex parte and judgment is pronounced against the respondent, he may apply to the Appellate Court to re-hear the appeal; and, if he satisfies the Court that the notice was not duly served or that he was prevented by sufficient cause from appearing when the appeal was called on for hearing, the Court shall re-hear the appeal on such terms as to costs or otherwise as it thinks fit to impose upon him1[:

Provided that no Appeal shall be re-heard more than once under this rule.]

Rule-21. Direct re-hearing of appeal

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in rule 21 or any other law, the Court may, in order to avoid delay and expedite disposal, directly re-hear an appeal which is heard ex parte, without requiring the respondent to adduce evidence to satisfy it about sufficient causes as required under rule 21, but requiring him to pay such cost not exceeding three thousand taka as it may deem appropriate and determine:

Provided that an appeal under this rule shall not be re-heard unless an application, supported by affidavit, praying for such re-hearing is made to the Court within thirty days of the date on which the ex parte decree is passed against the respondent:

Provided further that no appeal shall be re-heard more than once under this rule.

(2) As soon as an order under sub-rule (1) is made to re-hear an appeal, the Court shall cause notice thereof to be served at the cost of the respondent upon the appellant.]

Rule-22. Upon hearing, respondent may object to decree as if he had preferred separate appeal

(1) Any respondent, though he may not have appealed from any part of the decree, may not only support the decree on any of the grounds decided against him in the Court below, but take any cross-objection to the decree which he could have taken by way of appeal, provided he has filed such objection in the Appellate Court within one month from the date of service on him or his pleader of notice of the day fixed for hearing the appeal, or within such further time as the Appellate Court may see fit to allow.

(2) Such cross-objection shall be in the form of a memorandum, and the provisions of rule 1, so far as they relate to the form and contents of the memorandum of appeal, shall apply thereto.

Form of objection and provisions applicable thereto

(3) Unless the respondent files with the objection a written acknowledgment from the party who may be affected by such objection or his pleader of having received a copy thereof, the Appellate Court shall cause a copy to be served, as soon as may be after the filing of the objections, on such party or his pleader at the expense of the respondent.

(4) Where, in any case in which any respondent has under this rule filed a memorandum of objection, the original appeal is withdrawn or is dismissed for default, the objection so filed may nevertheless be heard and determined after such notice of the other parties as the Court thinks fit.

(5) The provisions relating to pauper appeals shall, so far as they can be made applicable, apply to an objection under this rule.

Rule-23. Remand of case by Appellate Court

Where the Court from whose decree an appeal is preferred has disposed of the suit upon a preliminary point and the decree is reversed in appeal, the Appellate Court may, if it thinks fit, by order remand the case, and may further direct what issue or issues shall be tried in the case so remanded, and shall send a copy of its judgment and order to the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred, with directions to re-admit the suit under its original number in the register of civil suits, and proceed to determine the suit; and the evidence (if any) recorded during the original trial shall, subject to all just exceptions, be evidence during the trial after remand.

Rule-24. Where evidence on record sufficient, Appellate Court 1[shall] determine case finally

Where the evidence upon the record is sufficient to enable the Appellate Court to pronounce judgment, the Appellate Court may, after resettling the issues, if necessary, finally determine the suit, notwithstanding that the judgment of the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred has proceeded wholly upon some ground other than that on which the Appellate Court proceeds.

Rule-25. Where Appellate Court may frame issues and refer them for trial to Court whose decree appealed from

Where the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred has omitted to frame or try any issue, or to determine any question of fact, which appears to the Appellate Court essential to the right decision of the suit upon the merits, the Appellate Court may, if necessary, frame issues, and refer the same for trial to the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred, and in such case shall direct such Court to take the additional evidence required;

and such Court shall proceed to try such issues, and shall return the evidence to the Appellate Court together with its findings thereon and the reasons therefor.

Rule-26. Findings and evidence to be put on record. Objections to finding

(1) Such evidence and findings shall form part of the record in the suit; and either party may, within a time to be fixed by the Appellate Court, present a memorandum of objections to any findings.

Determination of appeal

(2) After the expiration of the period so fixed for presenting such memorandum the Appellate Court shall proceed to determine the appeal.

Rule-27. Production of additional evidence in Appellate Court

(1) The parties to an appeal shall not be entitled to produce additional evidence, whether oral or documentary, in the Appellate Court. But if

(a) the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred has refused to admit evidence which ought to have been admitted, or

(b) the Appellate Court requires any document to be produced or any witness to be examined to enable it to pronounce judgment, or for any other substantial cause,

the Appellate Court may allow such evidence or document to be produced, or witness to be examined.

(2) Wherever additional evidence is allowed to be produced by an Appellate Court, the Court shall record the reason for its admission.

Rule-28. Mode of taking additional evidence

its admission.

Mode of taking additional evidence

28. Wherever additional evidence is allowed to be produced, the Appellate Court may either take such evidence, or direct the Court from whose decrees the appeal is preferred, or any other subordinate Court, to take such evidence and to send it when taken to the Appellate Court.

Rule-29. Points to be defined and recorded

Where additional evidence is directed or allowed to be taken, the Appellate Court shall specify the points to which the evidence is to be confined, and record on its proceedings the points so specified.

Rule-30. Judgment when and where pronounced

1[(1)] The Appellate Court, after hearing the parties or their pleaders and referring to any part of the proceedings, whether on appeal or in the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred, to which reference may be considered necessary, shall pronounce judgment in open Court, either at once or on some future day of which notice shall be given to the parties or their pleaders.

2[(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), if neither party nor his pleader appears when the appeal is called on for hearing, the Appellate Court may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, if considers the materials on record are sufficient to dispose of the appeal on merits, pronounce judgment in open Court immediately or on a date to be fixed by it.]

Rule-31. Contents, date and signature of Judgment

The judgment of the Appellate Court shall be in writing and shall state-

(a) the points for determination;

(b) the decision thereon;

(c) the reasons for the decision; and,

(d) where the decree appealed from is reversed or varied, the relief to which the appellant is entitled;

and shall at the time that it is pronounced be signed and dated by the Judge or by the Judges concurring therein.

Rule-32. What judgment may direct

The judgment may be for confirming, varying or reversing the decree from which the appeal is preferred, or, if the parties to the appeal agree as to the form which the decree in appeal shall take, or as to the order to be made in appeal, the Appellate Court may pass a decree or make an order accordingly.

Rule-33. Power of Court of Appeal

The Appellate Court shall have power to pass any decree and make any order which ought to have been passed or made and to pass or make such further or other decree or order as the case may require, and this power may be exercised by the Court notwithstanding that the appeal is as to part only of the decree and may be exercised in favour of all or any of the respondents or parties, although such respondents or parties may not have filed any appeal or objection:

Provided that the Appellate Court shall not make any order under section 65A, in pursuance of any objection on which the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred has omitted or refused to make such order.

A claims a sum of money as due to him from X or Y, and in a suit against both obtains a decree against X. X appeals and A and Y are respondents. The Appellate Court decides in favour of X. It has power to pass a decree against Y.

Rule-34. Dissent to be recorded

Where the appeal is heard by more Judges than one, any Judge dissenting from the judgment of the Court shall state in writing the decision or order which he thinks should be passed on the appeal, and he may state his reasons for the same.

Rule-35. Date and contents of decree

(1) The decree of the Appellate Court shall bear date the day on which the judgment was pronounced.

(2) The decree shall contain the number of the appeal, the names and descriptions of the appellant and respondent, and a clear specification of the relief granted or other adjudication made.

(3) The decree shall also state the amount of costs incurred in the appeal, and by whom, or out of what property, and in what proportions such costs and the costs in the suit are to be paid.

(4) The decree shall be signed and dated by the Judge or Judges who passed it :

Judge dissenting from judgment need not sign decree

Provided that where there are more Judges than one and there is a difference of opinion among them, it shall not be necessary for any Judge dissenting from the judgment of the Court to sign the decree.

Rule-36. Copies of judgment and decree to be furnished to parties

Certified copies of the judgment, and decree in appeal shall be furnished to the parties on application to the Appellate Court and at their expense.

Rule-37. Certified copy of decree to be sent to Court whose decree appealed from

A copy of the judgment and of the decree, certified by the Appellate Court or such officer as it appoints in this behalf, shall be sent to the Court which passed the decree appealed from and shall be filed with the original proceedings in the suit, and an entry of the judgment of the Appellate Court shall be made in the register of civils suits.

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