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Friday, 13 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 · Order XXII: Death, Marriage And Insolvency Of Parties

Order XXII Rule 8 CPC: When plaintiffs insolvency bars suit

Bare Act text

8. When plaintiff’s insolvency bars suit.—(1) The insolvency of a plaintiff in any suit which the assignee or receiver might maintain for the benefit of his creditors, shall not cause the suit to abate, unless such assignee or receiver declines to continue the suit or (unless for any special reason the Court otherwise directs) to give security for the costs thereof within such time as the Court may direct.

(2) Procedure where assignee fails to continue suit, or give security.—Where the assignee or receiver neglects or refuses to continue the suit and to give such security within the time so ordered, the defendant may apply for the dismissal of the suit on the ground of the plaintiff’s insolvency, and the Court may make an order dismissing the suit an awarding to the defendant the costs which he has incurred in defending the same to be proved as a debt against the plaintiff’s estate.

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.

In simple words

The insolvency of a plaintiff does not abate a suit which the assignee or receiver could maintain for creditors' benefit, unless the assignee or receiver declines to continue it or to give security for costs within the time the Court directs. If the assignee or receiver neglects or refuses, the defendant may apply for dismissal on the ground of insolvency, and the Court may dismiss the suit and award costs to be proved as a debt against the plaintiff's estate.

Order XXII: Death, Marriage And Insolvency Of Parties

  1. 1 No abatement by party’s death if right to sue survives
  2. 2 Procedure where one of several plaintiffs or defendants dies and right to sue survives
  3. 3 Procedure in case of death of one of several plaintiffs or of sole plaintiff
  4. 4 Procedure in case of death of one of several defendants or of sole defendant
  5. 4A Procedure where there is no legal representative
  6. 5 Determination of question as to legal representative
  7. 6 No abatement by reason of death after hearing
  8. 7 Suit not abated by marriage of female party
  9. 8 When plaintiffs insolvency bars suit
  10. 9 Effect of abatement or dismissal
  11. 10 Procedure in case of assignment before final order in suit
  12. 10A Duty of pleader to communicate to Court death of a party
  13. 11 Application of Order to appeals
  14. 12 Application of Order to proceedings