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Saturday, 14 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 · Order XLI: Appeals From Original Decrees

Order XLI Rule 22 CPC: Upon hearing respondent may object to decree as if he had preferred a separate appeal

Bare Act text

22. Upon hearing respondent may object to decree as if he had preferred separate appeal.—(1) Any respondent, though he may not have appealed from any part of the decree, may not only support the decree [but may also state that the finding against him in the Court below in respect of any issue ought to have been in his favour; and may also take any cross-objection] to the decree which he could have taken by way of appeal provided he has filed such objection in the Appellate Court within one month from the date of service on him or his pleader of notice of the day fixed for hearing the appeal, or within such further time as the Appellate Court may see fit to allow.

Explanation.—A respondent aggrieved by a finding of the Court in the judgment on which the decree appealed against is based may, under this rule, file cross-objection in respect of the decree in so far as it is based on that finding, notwithstanding that by reason of the decision of the Court on any other finding which is sufficient for the decision of the suit, the decree, is, wholly or in part, in favour of that respondent.]

(2) Form of objection and provisions applicable thereto.—Such cross-objection shall be in the form of a memorandum, and the provisions of rule 1, so far as they relate to the form and contents of the memorandum of appeal, shall apply thereto.

* * *

(4) Where, in any case in which any respondent has under this rule filed a memorandum of objection, the original appeal is withdrawn or is dismissed for default, the objection so filed may nevertheless be heard and determined after such notice to the other parties as the Court thinks fit.

(5) The provisions relating to appeals by indigent persons shall, so far as they can be made applicable, apply to an objection under this rule.

Amendment notes

  1. Subs. by s. 87, ibid., for certain words (w.e.f. 1-2-1977).
  2. Ins. by s. 87, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-2-1977).
  3. Subs-rule (3) omitted by Act 46 of 1999, s. 31 (w.e.f. 1-7-2002).

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

A respondent who has not appealed may support the decree, state that a finding against him on any issue should have been in his favour, and take any cross-objection to the decree that he could have taken by appeal. He must file it in the Appellate Court within one month from service of notice of the hearing day, or within further time the Court allows. The objection is in the form of a memorandum, with rule 1 applying to its form and contents. If the appeal is withdrawn or dismissed for default, the objection may still be heard. Provisions on appeals by indigent persons apply so far as possible.

Order XLI: Appeals From Original Decrees

  1. 1 Form of appeal
  2. 2 Grounds which may be taken in appeal
  3. 3 Rejection or amendment of memorandum
  4. 3A Application for condonation of delay
  5. 4 One of several plaintiffs or defendants may obtain reversal of whole decree where it proceeds on ground common to all
  6. 5 Stay by Appellate Court
  7. 6 Security in case of order for execution of decree appealed from
  8. 7 No security to be required from the Government or a public officer in certain cases (Repealed)
  9. 8 Exercise of powers in appeal from order made in execution of decree
  10. 9 Registry of memorandum of appeal
  11. 10 Appellate Court may require appellant to furnish security for costs
  12. 11 Power to dismiss appeal without sending notice to Lower Court
  13. 11A Time within which hearing under rule 11 should be concluded
  14. 12 Day for hearing appeal
  15. 13 Appellate Court to give notice to Court whose decree appealed from (Omitted)
  16. 14 Publication and service of notice of day for hearing appeal
  17. 15 Contents of notice (Omitted)
  18. 16 Right to begin
  19. 17 Dismissal of appeal for appellant's default
  20. 18 Dismissal of appeal where notice not served in consequence of appellant’s failure to deposit cost (Omitted)
  21. 19 Re-admission of appeal dismissed for default
  22. 20 Power to adjourn hearing and direct persons appearing interested to be made respondents
  23. 21 Re-hearing on application of respondent against whom ex parte decree made
  24. 22 Upon hearing respondent may object to decree as if he had preferred a separate appeal
  25. 23 Remand of case by Appellate Court
  26. 23A Remand in other cases
  27. 24 Where evidence on record sufficient, Appellate Court may determine case finally
  28. 25 Where Appellate Court may frame issues and refer them for trial to Court whose decree appealed from
  29. 26 Findings and evidence to be put on record
  30. 26A Order of remand to mention date of next hearing
  31. 27 Production of additional evidence in Appellate Court
  32. 28 Mode of taking additional evidence
  33. 29 Points to be defined and recorded
  34. 30 Judgment when and where pronounced
  35. 31 Contents, date and signature of judgment
  36. 32 What judgment may direct
  37. 33 Power of Court of appeal
  38. 34 Dissent to be recorded
  39. 35 Date and contents of decree
  40. 36 Copies of judgment and decree to be furnished to parties
  41. 37 Certified copy of decree to be sent to Court whose decree appealed from
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