CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FILING WRITTEN STATEMENT

Basalingappa Chinnappa Goudar And Ors. vs Shantavva And Ors ILR 2002 KAR 260, 2001 (6) KarLJ 460 “In a suit the defendant has the right to show that the case pleaded by the plaintiff is false or cannot be acted upon and in addition to that he can put forth his defence to defeat the claim of the plaintiff. By not filing the written statement he loses his right to put forth his defence to defeat the claim of the plaintiff only but he does not lose his right to demolish the case of the plaintiff by cross-examination. The defendant by cross-examination of the plaintiff and his witnesses can demolish the case of the plaintiff and also address arguments on the basis of the evidence led by the plaintiff, and also make submission on law and satisfy the Court that on the material on record, the plaintiffs case cannot be accepted and no decree can be passed in favour of the plaintiff……….. However, it is made clear that the defendant would not be entitled to lead any evidence nor his cross-examination be permitted to travel beyond the very limited objective of pointing out the falsity or weakness of the plaintiffs case, and he be permitted to project his defence either directly or indirectly or in the form of suggestions to the plaintiffs witnesses.”