Section 35A CPC - Code of Civil Procedure - Compensatory Costs in Respect of False or Vexatious Claims or Defenses

1[Compensatory costs in respect of false or vexatious claims or defenses.

(1) If any suit or other proceedings 2[including an execution proceedings but 3[excluding an appeal or a revision]] any party objects to the claim of defence on the ground that the claim or defence or any part of it is, as against the objector, false or vexatious to the knowledge of the party by whom it has been put forward, and if thereafter, as against the objector, such claim or defence is disallowed, abandoned or withdrawn in whole or in part, the Court, 4[if it so thinks fit] may, after recording its reasons for holding such claim or defence to be false or vexatious, make an Order for the payment the object or by the party by whom such claim or defence has been put forward, of cost by way of compensation.

(2) No Court shall make any such Order for the payment of an amount exceeding 5[three thousand rupees] or exceeding the limits of it pecuniary jurisdiction, whichever amount is less:

Provided that where the pecuniary limits of the jurisdiction of any Court exercising the jurisdiction of a Court of Small Causes under the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act, 1887 (9 of 1887) 6[or under a corresponding law in force in 7[any part of India to which the said Act does not extend]] and not being a Court constituted 8[under such Act or law], are less than two hundred and fifty rupees, the High Court may empower such Court to award as costs under this section any amount not exceeding two hundred and fifty rupees and not exceeding those limits by more than one hundred rupees:

Provided, further, that the High Court may limit the amount or class of Courts is empowered to award as costs under this Section.

(3) No person against whom an Order has been made under this section shall, by reason thereof, be exempted from any criminal liability in respect of any claim or defence made by him.

(4) The amount of any compensation awarded under this section in respect of a false or vexatious claim or defence shall be taken into account in any subsequent suit for damages or compensation in respect of such claim or defence.]

STATE AMENDMENTS

Uttar Pradesh-(i) For sub-section (1) of section 35 A substitute the following.

"(1) If any suit or other proceedings including proceedings in execution, but not being an appeal or revision, the court finds that the claim or defence or any part thereof is false or vexatious to the knowledge of the party by whom it has been put forward and if such claim or defence or such part is disallowed, abandoned or withdrawn in whole or in part, the court may, after recording its reasons for holding such claim or defence to be false or vexatious, make an Order for the payment to the successful party or costs by way of compensation irrespective of the decisions on other issues in the case".

[Vide U.P. Act No. 24 of 1954, sec. 2 Sch., Item 5, Entry 1 (w.e.f. 30-11-1954)].

(ii) After sub-section (1) insert the following sub-section, namely:-.

"(1-A) The provisions of sub-section (1) shall mutatis mutandis apply to an appeal where the appellate Court confirms the decision of the trial court and the trial court has not awarded or insufficient, compensatory cost under that sub-section.

[Vide U.P. Act No. 57 of 1976, sec. 2 (w.e.f. 1-1-1977)].

1. Section 35A was ins. by Act 9 of 1922, sec. 2, which, under section 1(2) thereof may be brought into force in any State by the State Government on any specified date. It has been so brought into force in Bombay, Bengal, U.P., Punjab, Bihar, C.P., Assam, Orissa and Tamil Nadu.

2. Subs. by Act 66 of 1956, sec. 4, for "not being an appeal" (w.e.f. 1-1-1957).

3. Subs, by Act No. 104 of 1976, sec. 14, for "excluding an appeal" (w.e.f. 1-2-1977).

4. Subs. by Act 66 of 1956, sec. 4 for certain words (w.e.f. 1-1-1957).

5. Subs. by Act No. 104 of 1976, sec. 14 for "one thousand rupees" (w.e.f. 1-2-1977).

6. Ins. by Act 2 of 1951, sec. 7 (w.e.f. 1-4-1951).

7. Subs. by the Adoptation of Laws (No. 2) Order, 1956, for "a Part B State".

8. Ins. by Act 2 of 1951, sec. 7, for "under that Act" (w.e.f. 1-4-1951).