ORDER XXVII

1THE SUPREME COURT RULES, 1978 THE SUPREME COURT RULES, 1978. PART IV ORDER XXVII WRITTEN STATEMENT, SET‑OFF AND COUNTER CLAIM. 1 It shall not be sufficient for a defendant in his written statement to deny generally the facts alleged by the plaintiff but he shall deal specifically with each allegation of fact of which he does not admit the truth, except damages. 2. Where a defendant denies any allegation of fact he shall not do so evasively but shall answer the point of substance. 3. Each allegation of fact in the plaint, if not denied specifically or by necessary implication or not expressly to be not admitted in the pleading of the defendant, shall be taken to be admitted, but the Court may, in its discretion, require any fact so admitted to be proved 'otherwise than by such admission. 4. Where the defendant claims to set‑off against a demand by the plaintiff any ascertained sum of money, he may in his written statement, but not afterwards without the leave of the Court, state the grounds of his claim and the particulars of the debit sought to be set‑off: 5. The written statement containing particulars mentioned in the last preceding rules shall have the same effect as a plaint in a cross‑suit so as to enable the Court to pronounce a final judgment in respect of both of the original claim and of the set‑off. 6. The rules relating to a written statement by a defendant shall apply to a written statement by a plaintiff in answer to a claim of set‑off. 7. No pleading subsequent to the written statement of a defendant, other than by way of defence to a set‑off, shall be presented except by the leave of the Court and upon such terms as the Court may think fit, but the Court may at any time require a written statement or additional written statement from any of the parties and may fix the time for presenting the same. 8. Where any party from whom a written statement is so required fails to present the same within the time fixed by the Court, the Court may pronounce judgment against him or make such orders in relation to the suit as it thinks fit. 9 The defendant, in addition to his right of pleading a set‑off, may set up by way of counter‑claim against the claims of the plaintiff any right or claim in respect of a cause of action accruing to him either before or after the filing of the suit, but before he has delivered his defence and before the time limited for delivering his defence has expired, whether that counter‑claim stands in damages or not, and the counter‑claim shall have the same effect as a cross‑suit so as to enable the Court to pronounce a final judgment in the same suit, both on the original and on the counter‑claim. 10. The Court may, if in its opinion the counter‑claim cannot be disposed of in the pending suit or ought not to be allowed, refuse permission to the defendant to avail himself thereof, and require him to file a separate suit.