CPC Terms

Plaint

The written statement of claim by which a civil suit is instituted.

In Simple Terms

The document that starts a civil lawsuit — it lays out who's suing, why, and what they want.

Detailed Legal Meaning

A plaint is the plaintiff's pleading that institutes a civil suit, setting out the parties, the facts constituting the cause of action, the relief claimed, and the jurisdictional facts entitling the court to try the suit. Its required particulars are prescribed by Order VII of the CPC, and it is liable to rejection under Order VII Rule 11 if, among other grounds, it discloses no cause of action.

Relevant Acts & Sections

Order VII

Common Court Usage

The first pleading filed in every civil suit, numbered and registered on presentation.

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