Written statement (Order VIII CPC)

The defendant's reply to a plaint: preliminary objections, a paragraph-by-paragraph reply, additional pleas and the verification.

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How the paper begins

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IN THE COURT OF Civil Judge (Junior Division), Amarnagar

Civil Suit No. 512 of 2026

Vikram Singh son of Shri Harbans Singh, aged about 52 years, resident of House No. 45, Gulab Colony, Amarnagar, Tehsil and District Amarnagar, Punjab

…Plaintiff

Versus

Kabir Sharma son of Shri Dev Sharma, aged about 44 years, resident of House No. 7, Basant Vihar, Amarnagar, Tehsil and District Amarnagar, Punjab

…Defendant

WRITTEN STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE DEFENDANT

(under Order VIII of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908)

Respectfully Showeth:

PRELIMINARY OBJECTIONS

1.That the suit is not maintainable in its present form.

2.That the plaint discloses no cause of action against the answering defendant.

3.That the suit has not been properly valued for the purposes of court fee and jurisdiction, and the court fee paid is insufficient.

4.That the plaintiff has not come to the Court with clean hands and has concealed material facts.

5.That the suit property is not correctly described, and the boundaries given in the plaint do not match the spot.

REPLY ON MERITS

6.That paragraph 1 of the plaint is admitted only to the extent stated here, and the rest of it is denied. It is admitted that the plaintiff owns a plot in Khasra No. 45/2, but it is denied that the strip of land along its western edge is part of it; that strip is part of the plot of the answering defendant.

The rest of the paper is in Dastavo.

What to bring

Papers to bring

The summons, and the copy of the plaint and documents received with it (the date of service matters)
Your own papers that answer the claim: deeds, receipts, letters and records (the originals to show)
The names and addresses of your witnesses, if known
Your identity proof, and a vakalatnama in favour of your advocate, signed by you

Where to go

Filed through your advocate in the court that issued the summons, under the suit's number, with the supporting affidavit and a list of your documents; a copy goes to the plaintiff.

Fee

A written statement usually needs little or no court fee; a counter-claim or set-off pays its own court fee. Ask the counter; the advocate's fee is separate.

Good to know

File within 30 days of the summons; the court may allow more time, up to 90 days, only for reasons it records.
Answer every paragraph of the plaint: a fact you do not deny may be taken as admitted.
File your documents with it: a document kept back may not be allowed later without the court's leave.

Papers and fees can change. Check with the office before you go. Guidance only, not yet reviewed by a lawyer.

Stamp paper

Court fee on a plaint, petition or appeal depends on the relief and its valuation under the state's court-fee law; affix the court-fee stamps (or the e-court-fee receipt) and any welfare stamps as the court office directs.