- (1.) This appeal, by special leave, is from the order of the High Court of Allahabad allowing an application for revision of orders passed by the Civil Judge, Saharanpur, directing discovery of documents by the respondent and dismissing an application by him for permission to sue in forma pauperis.
(2.) The respondent filed a suit in forma pauperis on April 20, 1962, against the appellant and his wife for recovery of damages to the tune of Rs.7,48,000/- for malicious prosecution. Notice of the petition to sue in forma pauperis was given to the State Government and the appellant under Order 33, Rule 6 of the Civil Procedure Code. Both the Government and the appellant filed objections stating that the respondent is not a pauper. The appellant thereafter filed an application for discovery of documents from the respondent for proving that the respondent is not a pauper. The Court passed an order on February 23, 1970, directing the respondent to discover on affidavit, the documents relating to the bank accounts of the respondent, namely, pass books, cheque books, counterfoils, etc., from March 1, 1963, to the date of filing the affidavit of discovery, as also the documents in respect of the properties held by him and the personal accounts maintained by him. The respondent was to file the affidavit of discovery on March 8, 1970. It was specifically stated that no extension of time will be allowed for filing the affidavit and that the discovery should be made within the time. The respondent did not file the affidavit in pursuance to the order. On March 31, 1970, he moved an application stating that he wants to file a revision against the order dated February 23, 1970, before the High Court and that two months time may be allowed for the purpose. The Court rejected the application for time on April 4, 1970, on the ground that the application for permission to sue in forma pauperis was pending for the last seven years and that the respondent had ample time for filing the revision if he was diligent in the matter. The respondent's counsel then moved another application on the same day stating that the respondent wants to adduce evidence and that since he had not come to Court in the expectation that his earlier application dated March 31, 1970, for adjournment would be allowed, the case may be adjourned. This application was also rejected by the Court. And as counsel for the respondent reported no instruction and as there was no evidence to show that the respondent was a pauper, the Court dismissed the application for permission to sue in forma pauperis and directed the respondent to pay the court fee within 15 days.
(3.) The respondent challenged the order directing discovery of documents passed on February 23, 1970, and that dismissing his application for permission to sue in forma pauperis passed on April 4, 1970, in revision before the High Court. The High Court held that since the proceedings under rules 6 and 7 of Order 33 are summary in character, the "sophisticated procedure" for discovery should not have been resorted to by the appellant, that the documents of which discovery was sought were not specified in the application of the appellant and, therefore, the application for discovery was bad, that the enquiry under Rules 6 and 7 of Order 33 was primarily a matter between the respondent and the State Government and that the trial Court should not have adopted the procedure for discovery and inspection at the instance of a private party like the appellant. The Court further held that the trial Court acted with material irregularly as it did not consider the question of the necessity for discovery of the documents or the relevancy of the documents of which discovery was sought and also for the reason that, in ordering discovery of the documents relating to personal accounts, and pass books, it overlooked the right of the respondent to claim privilege. And as regards the order passed on April 4, 1970, dismissing the application for permission to sue in forma pauperis after rejecting the application for adjournment, the Court said that the trial Court betrayed an anxiety to get rid of an application to add to the figures of its disposal. The Court, therefore, set aside the order for discovery as well as the order dismissing the application for permission to sue in forma pauperis.;