7. Extension of time to enable public officer to make reference to Government.—(1) Where the defendant is a public officer and, on receiving the summons, considers it proper to make a reference to the Government before answering the plaint, he may apply to the Court to grant such extension of the time fixed in the summons as may be necessary to enable him to make such reference and to receive orders thereon through the proper channel.
(2) Upon such application the Court shall extend the time for so long as appears to it to be necessary.
Text of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Act No. 5 of 1908), First Schedule, as amended, including the changes for commercial disputes made by the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. Source: India Code, Government of India.
A public officer sued as defendant who, on receiving the summons, thinks it proper to refer the matter to the Government before answering the plaint may apply to the Court for such extension of the time fixed in the summons as is necessary to make the reference and receive orders through the proper channel. On such application, the Court must extend the time for as long as appears to it to be necessary.
