Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
The defendant shall, within thirty days from the date of service of summons on him, present a written statement of his defence: 57A[Provided that where the defendant fails to file the written statement within the said period of thirty days, he shall be allowed to file the written statement on such other day, as may be specified by the Court, for reasons to be recorded in writing and on payment of such costs as the Court deems fit, but which shall not be later than one hundred twenty days from the date of service of summons and on expiry of one hundred twenty days from the date of service of summons, the defendant shall forfeit the right to file the written statement and the Court shall not allow the written statement to be taken on record.]] Substituted by Act 22 of 2002, S.9 (w.e.f. 01/07/2002). Substituted by Commercial Courts Act, 2015 (Act No. 4 of 2016) w.e.f.23/10/2015. Prior to the substitution it read as: "Provided that where the defendant fails to file the written statement within the said period of thirty days, he shall be allowed to file the same on such other day, as may be specified by the Court, for reasons to be recorded in writing, but which shall not be later than ninety days from the date of service of summons."