THE PUDUCHERRY CIVIL COURTS ACT, 1966

   
 
 

   THE PUDUCHERRY CIVIL COURTS ACT, 1966  

 (No.12 of 1966) 

 

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
 
 

SECTION 

 
1.      Short title, extent and commencement. 

2.      Definitions. 

3.      Courts and their number and jurisdiction. 

4.      Appointment of Additional Judges. 

5.      Situation of Courts. 

6.      Courts under the Act to be successors to existing Courts. 

7.      Seal of Court. 

8.      Jurisdiction o f   District  Judge  or  Subordinate  Judge  and  District 
Munsif in original suits. 

 

9.      Appeal from Decrees and Orders of District Courts, Subordinate 
Courts and District Munsif Courts. 

10.      Power to require witness or party to make oath or affirmation. 

11. Judges not to try suits in which they are interested nor try 
appeals from decrees passed by them in other capacities. 

 

12.      Duties of ministerial officers. 

13.      Temporary discharge of duties of District Judge. 

14.      District Judge to control Civil Courts. 

15. Power to invest Subordinate Judge or Munsif with small cause 
jurisdiction. 

16. Exercise by Subordinate Judge of jurisdiction of District Judge in 
certain proceedings. 

17.      Vacation. 

18. Abolition of Conseil Judge of jurisdiction of District Judge in 
certain proceedings. 

19.      Abolition of the Offices of the Procureur de la Republique. 

20.      Pending proceedings. 

21.      Rule of construction. 

22.      Effect on other laws. 

23.      Power to remove difficulties. 

24.      Repeal and saving. 

 

 

 

 

 

 



   
 
 

 
 

-:2:- 
 

THE PUDUCHERRY CIVIL COURTS ACT, 1966 

(Act No. 12 of 1966) 
 

21st October, 1966. 
 
 

AN ACT 

 
to consolidate and amend the law relating to the Civil Courts in the Union 

territory of Puducherry. 

 
BE   it   enacted   by   the   Legislative   Assembly   of   Puducherry   in   the 

Seventeenth Year of the Republic of India as follows: - 
 

 

1. Short title, extent and commencement. – (1) This Act may be called the 
Pondicherry Civil Courts Act, 1966. 

 

(2) It extends to the whole of the Union territory of Puducherry. 
 

(3) It shall come into force on such +date as the Government may, by 
notification in the Official Gazette, appoint, and different dates may be appointed 
for different provisions of this Act, and any reference to the commencement of this 
Act in any provision thereof shall be construed as a reference to the date on which 
that provision comes into force. 

 

 

2. Definitions. – In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, -- 
 

(a) “Government” means the Administrator appointed by the President 
under article 239 of the Constitution; 

 

(b) “High Court” means the High Court at Madras; 
 

(c) “Union territory” means the Union territory of Puducherry. 
 

 
3.  Courts  and  their  number  and  jurisdiction.  --    (1)  There  shall  be  the 

following Courts in the Union territory *[…], namely: - 
 

*[(a) the Courts of the District Judge], (b) 

the Subordinate Judge’s Courts, and (c) 

the Munsif’s Courts. 

 
+ This  Act  came  into  force  w.e.f  5.9.1968  vide  Notification  S.O.  No.98  published  in  the 

Extraordinary Gazette No.73 dated 4.9.68. 

* Amended vide Act No.9 of 1986. This Act came into force w.e.f 1.9.1986 vide Notification 
published in the Gazette of Puducherry No.34 dt. 26.8.86



   
 
 

-:3:- 
 

(2) Appointments to the posts of District Judge, Sub-ordinate Judge and 
Munsif shall be made by the Government in accordance with rules made under 
article 309 of the Constitution: 

 

Provided that appointment to the post of District Judge shall be made 
after consultation with the High Court. 

 

(3) The number of *[Courts of the District Judge, Subordinate Judge’s 
Courts] and Munsif’s Courts shall be fixed and may, from time to time, be altered 
by the Government. 

 

*[(4) The local limits of the jurisdiction of a Court of the District Judge, a 
Subordinate Judge’s Court and a Munsif’s Court shall be such as the Government 
may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify: 

 

Provided that the Government may, by a like notification, alter the 
jurisdiction of any Court under this sub-section from time to time]. 

 

 

4. Appointment of Additional Judges. – (1) The Government may, if satisfied 
after consultation with the High Court that the state of business pending before 
any Court so requires, appoint in accordance with the provisions of sub-section  (2) 
of section 3 one or more Additional Judges to that Court for such period as it may 
deem necessary. 

 

(2) When more than one Judge is appointed to a Court, one of the Judges 
shall be appointed the Principal Judge of that Court. 

 

(3) Each of the Judges appointed to a Court may exercise all or any of the 
powers conferred on that Court by this Act or any other law for the time being in 
force. 

 

(4) The Principal Judge of every Court may, from time to time, make such 
arrangements as he thinks fit for the distribution of the business of the Court 
among the various Judges thereof: 

 

Provided that the District Judge, or the Principal District Judge, if there is 
more than one District Judge, may give such general or special direction in regard 
to the distribution of work in the courts of Subordinate Judge and Munsif. 

 

Explanation. – In this section, unless the context otherwise requires, the 
expression ‘judge’ includes a Subordinate Judge and Munsif. 

 

 
* Substituted vide Act No.9 of 1986 w.e.f 26-6-1986.



   
 
 

-:4:- 
 

5. Situation of Courts. – (1) The place at which any Court under this Act shall 
be held may be fixed and may, from time to time, be altered by the Government. 

 

(2) The place fixed for any Court under this section shall be deemed to be 
within the local jurisdiction of that Court. 

 

 

6. Courts  under  the  Act  to  be  successors  to  existing  Courts.  –  (1)  The 
Tribunal Superieur d’ Appel, Courts of Tribunal de lere Instance and Juge de Paix 
existing immediately before the commencement of this Act shall be respectively 
the first Court of the District Judge, Subordinate Judges’ Court and Munsif’s Court 
under this Act. 

 

*[Provided that in any area of the Union territory where there is no 
Subordinate Judge’s Court or Munsif’s Court, the next superior court exercising 
jurisdiction in that area shall be the successor to the Court of Tribunal de lere 
Instance or the Court of Juge de Paix, as the case may be]. 

 

(2) As from the commencement of this Act, --- 
 

(a)    the President and Judges of the Tribunal Superieur d’ 
Appel holding office immediately before such 
commencement shall respectively function as the 
Principal District Judge and Additional District 
Judges; and 

 

(b)    the Presidents of the Tribunal de lere Instance and 
Juges de Paix holding office immediately before such 
commencement shall respectively function as 
Subordinate Judges and Munsifs within their 
jurisdiction. 

 

(3)  Subject  to the  other  provisions of this Act, a District Judge  sitting 
singly shall exercise all the powers and functions of the Tribunal Superieur d’ 
Appel in respect of all pending cases and cases remanded by the High Court in 
exercise of its powers as Cour de Cassation. 

 

 

7. Seal of Court. – Every Court under this Act shall use a seal of such form 
and dimensions as are, for the time being, prescribed by the Government. 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
* Inserted vide Act No.9 of 1986 w.e.f 26-6-1986



   
 
 

-:5:- 
 

*[8. Jurisdiction  of  District  Judge,  Subordinate  Judge  and  District  Munsif  

in original suits. – (1) The jurisdiction of the District Judge shall, subject to the 
rules of procedure contained in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (hereinafter 
referred to in this section as the said Code) for the time being in force, extend to all 
original suits and proceedings of a civil nature, of which the amount or value of 
the subject matter exceeds rupees five lakhs. 

 

(2) The jurisdiction of the Subordinate Judge shall, subject to the rules of 
procedure contained in the said Code for the time being in force, extend to all 
original suits and proceedings of a civil nature, of which the amount or value of 
the subject matter exceeds rupees one lakh but does not exceed rupees five lakhs: 

 
**[“Provided that the jurisdiction of the Subordinate Judge’s Court at 

Mahe and Yanam extends, subject to the provisions of the said Code to all original 
suits and proceedings of civil nature.”] 

 

(3) The jurisdiction of the District Munsif shall extend to all like suits and 
proceedings not otherwise exempted from his cognizance, of which the amount or 
value of the subject matter does not exceed rupees one lakh: 

 

Provided that the Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, 
increase the jurisdiction as and when exigency arises]. 

 

 

***[9. Appeal from Decrees and Orders of District Courts, Subordinate 

Courts and District Munsif Courts.  –  (1) Appeals  from  the  Decrees  and  

Orders  of District Judges at Puducherry and Karaikal shall, when such appeals are 

allowed by law, lie to the High Court of Judicature at Madras. 

 

     (2) Appeals from the Decrees and Orders of the Subordinate Judges at 

Puducherry shall, when such appeals are allowed by law, lie to the Court of 

District Judge at Puducherry. 

 

     (3)  Appeals from the Decrees and Orders of the Subordinate Judges at 

Mahe and Yanam shall, when such appeals are allowed by law, lie to the High 

Court of Judicature at Madras: 

 

     Provided that in so far as appeals from the Decrees and Orders of the 

Subordinate Judges at Mahe and Yanam in any civil suit where the suit value does 

not exceed rupees five lakhs, shall, when such appeals are allowed by law, lie to the 

Court of District Judge at Puducherry. 

 _____________________________________________________________________ 

   * Substituted vide Act No.5 of 2005. This Act came into force w.e.f 01.11.2005 
 ** Substituted vide Act No.5 of 2015.  This Act came into force w.e.f 01.07.2015 

_  *** Substituted vide Act No.9 of 2017. This Act came into force w.e.f 01.08.2017. 

 
 
 

 



   
 
 

-6- 
 

(4) Appeals from the Decrees and Orders of the Subordinate Judges at Yanam 

where such decrees and orders were passed by the said Judge concerned as if, he is a 

District Munsif in relation to their respective jurisdictional areas shall, when such 

appeals are allowed by law, lie to the Court of District Judge at Puducherry. 

 

 (5) Appeals from the D ecrees and O rders of Subordinate Judge at 
Karaikal shall, when such appeals are allowed by law, lie to the Court of District 
Judge  at Karaikal: 

 
(6)  Appeals from the Decrees and Orders of District Minsifs shall, when 

such appeals are allowed by law, lie to the Court of Subordinate Judge. 
 

Provided however that the pecuniary limit specified in this section shall 
not apply in the case of appeals from Decrees and Orders passed under and in 
accordance with the French law relating to civil procedure. 

 
(7)  Transitory provisions.- (1) All suits pending in the District Court, 

Karaikal, when the amount or the value of the subject matter of the suit exceeds 
rupees one lakh but, does not exceed rupees five lakhs shall stand transferred to 
the Subordinate Court at Karaikal.  

 

 

       (2)   All first appeals from the Decrees and Orders of the District Munsif 
Court at Karaikal and pending on the file of the District Court at Karaikal and 
when the amount or the value of the subject matter of such appeals does not 
exceed rupees one lakh shall stand transferred to the Subordinate Court at 
Karaikal.  

 
 

(3) All suits pending in the Subordinate Court at Mahe, where the amount 
or the subject matter of the suit does not exceed rupees one lakh shall stand 
transferred to the District Munsif Court at Mahe. 

 
(4) All the part-heard and judgment reserved suits and appeal shall be 

heard and disposed of by the respective Courts as if, this Act has not been passed].” 
 

 



   
 
 
 

-:7:- 

  

   

10. Power to require witness or party to make oath or affirmation. – Every 

Court  under  this  Act  may  require  a  witness  or  party  to  any  suit  or  other 

proceeding  pending  in  such  Court  to  make  such  oath  or  affirmation  as  is 

prescribed by the law for the time being in force. 
 

 

11. Judges not to try suits in which they are interested nor try appeals from 

decrees passed by them in other capacities. – (1) (a) *[No District Judge, Vacation 

Civil Judge], Subordinate Judge or Munsif shall try any suit to or in which he is a 

party or personally interested, or shall adjudicate upon any proceeding connected 

with, or arising out of, such suit. 
 

(b) *[No District Judge, Vacation Civil Judge], or Subordinate Judge 

shall  try  any  appeal  against  a  decree  or  order  passed  by  himself  in  another 

capacity. 

 

(2) When any such suit, proceeding or appeal comes before --- 
 

 

(a) *[any  Vacation Civil  Judge,  Subordinate  Judge] or  Munsif,  he 

shall report the circumstances to the District Judge, who shall thereupon either 

take up the case himself or transfer the case to some other officer, otherwise 

competent to deal with the same; 
 

(b) any District Judge, he shall transfer the case to an Additional 

District  Judge  or  if  there  be  no  such  Judge,  to  a  Subordinate  Judge  who  is 

otherwise competent to deal with the same: 

 
 
 
 

* Substituted vide Act No.9 of 1986 w.e.f. 26-6-1986



   
 
 

-:8:- 
 

Provided that in the absence of any judicial officer competent to deal with 
the same within the Union territory, the District Judge shall report the 
circumstances to the High Court, which shall thereupon deal with the case itself or 
transfer the case for disposal to any other District Judge under its jurisdiction. 

 

 

12. Duties of ministerial officers. – The ministerial officers of a Court shall 
perform such duties as may, from time to time, be imposed upon them by the 
presiding officer of the Court. 

 

 

13. Temporary discharge of duties of District Judge. – In the event of the 
death of the District Judge, or of his being incapacitated by illness or otherwise for 
the performance of his duties or of his absence from the station in which his Court 
is held, the senior Additional District Judge or the Additional District Judge, as the 
case be or if there is no Additional District Judge, the senior Subordinate Judge in 
the station in which his Court is held shall, without interruption to his ordinary 
duties, assume charge of the District Judge’s Office, and shall discharge such of the 
current duties thereof as are connected with the filing of suits and appeals, the 
execution of processes and the like, and shall continue in charge of the office until 
the same is resumed or assumed by an officer duly appointed thereto. 

 

 

14. District Judge to control Civil Courts. – (1) The Court of the District 
Judge shall be the principal Civil Court of original jurisdiction *[in the local limits 
over  which  such  court  exercises  jurisdiction]  within  the  meaning  of  any  law 
relating to procedure for the time being in force and the Subordinate Judge’s Court 
and the Munsif’s Court shall be subordinate to it. 

 

(2) Subject to the other provisions of this Act and any other law for the 
time being in force and to the general superintendence and control of the High 
Court, the general control over all Civil Courts under this Act shall be vested in the 
*[Chief Judge]. 

 

*[Explanation.– For the purpose of this section, "Chief Judge" shall mean 
the Principal District Judge, Pondicherry]. 

 

 

15. Power to invest **[       ] Subordinate Judge or Munsif with small cause 

jurisdiction. – (1) The Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, 
invest within such local limits as it shall, from time to time, appoint – 

 

 
* Substituted vide Act No.9 of 1986 w.e.f 26.06.1986 
** Deleted vide Act No.5 of 2005 w.e.f 01.11.2005.



   
 
 
 

-:9:- 
 
 

(a) any *[Subordinate Judge] with the jurisdiction of a Judge of a 
Court of small Causes for the trail of suits cognizable by such 
Courts up to the amount of +[five thousand rupees]; and 

 

(b)  any Munsif with the same jurisdiction upto the amount of +[two 
thousand rupees]. 

 

(2) The Government may, by like notification, withdraw such jurisdiction 

from the *[Subordinate Judge] or Munsif as invested under sub- section (1). 
 

**[Transitory provisions. (1) All small cause suits pending on the file of 

the District Court, Karaikal, where the amount or the subject value of such small 

cause suits does not exceeds rupees two thousand but, does not exceed rupees five 

thousand shall stand transferred to the Subordinate Court at Karaikal]. 
 

**[(2) All  small  cause  suits  pending  on  the  file  of  the  District  Court,   
Karaikal, where the amount or the subject value of such small cause suits exceeds  
rupees  two  thousand but,  does not exceed rupees five thousand shall  stand  
transferred  to  the  Subordinate Court at Karaikal]. 

 

(3) All the part-heard and judgment reserved suits shall be heard and 
disposed of by the respective courts as if this Act has not been passed.] 

 

 

16.  Exercise by Subordinate Judge of jurisdiction of District Judge in 

certain proceedings. – (1) The High Court may, by general or special order, 
authorize any Subordinate Judge to take cognizance of, any District Judge, to 
transfer to any Subordinate Judge under his control, any proceedings under the 
Indian Succession Act, 1925 (39 of 1925), which cannot be disposed of by District 
Delegates. 

 

(2) The District Judge may withdraw any such proceedings taken 
cognizance of by, or transferred to, a Subordinate Judge and may either himself 
dispose of them or transfer them to a Court competent to dispose of them. 

 

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 9, proceedings taken 
cognizance of by or transferred to, a Subordinate Judge under the provisions of 
this section shall be disposed of by him subject to the law applicable to like 
proceedings when disposed of by the District Judge. 

 
 
 

*   Substituted vide Act No.9 of 1986 w.e.f 26-06-1986 

+  Substituted vide Act No.9 of 2005 w.e.f 01.11.2005 

** Substituted vide Act No.9 of 2017 w.e.f 01-08-2017



   
 
 
 

-:10:- 
 
 

17. Vacation. – *[(1) The annual vacations for the Courts constituted under 
this Act shall be fixed by the High Court]. 

 

(2) Such annual vacations shall not exceed in the aggregate sixty days in 
the case of the Court of the District Judge and a Subordinate Judge’s Court and 
forty-five days in the case of a Munsif’s Court. 

 

 

**[Omitted]. 

 
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in the Code of Civil 

Procedure, 1908, the Government may, for the duration of the annual vacations, 
appoint  a  Vacation  Civil  Judge  in  each  of  the  regions  of  the  Union  territory, 
namely, Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam; 

 

Provided  that  a  Vacation  Civil  Judge  appointed  for  Pondicherry  or 
Karaikal region shall be not below the rank of a Subordinate Judge. 

 

(4) The local limits of the jurisdiction of the Vacation Civil Judge shall be 
the same as those of the principal Civil Court in the region concerned. 

 

(5) The jurisdiction of the Vacation Civil Judge shall extend to all suits, 
appeals and other proceedings pending in, or cognizable by, any civil court in the 
region concerned when such court is adjourned for annual vacations. 

 

(6) Notwithstanding the appointment of the Vacation Civil Judge, every 
civil court in the Union territory shall, during the period it is adjourned for annual 
vacations, be deemed to be closed for the purpose of section 4 of the Limitation 
Act, 1963. 

 

(7) On  the  reopening  of  a  Court  of  the  District  Judge,  a  Subordinate 
Judge’s Court or a Munsif’s Court after the annual vacations, all suits, appeals and 
other proceedings pending in the court of the Vacation Civil Judge which, but for 
this section, would have been instituted or pending in such Court of the District 
Judge, Subordinate Judge’s Court or Munsif’s Court, as the case may be, shall 
stand transferred to such Court of the District Judge, Subordinate Judge’s Court or 
Munsif’s Court and any decree, order or proceeding passed by the Vacation Civil 
Judge shall, after such transfer, be deemed to be a decree, order or proceeding 
passed by the court concerned. 

 

(8) Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (7), any appeal from the 
decree or order of the court of the Vacation Civil Judge shall, when such appeal is 
allowed by law, lie to the High Court]. 

 
 
 

   * Amended vide Act No.5 of 2005 w.e.f. 01-11-2005. 
**  Omitted vide Act No.9 of 1986 w.e.f. 26-6-1986.



   
 
 

-:11:- 

18. Abolition of Conseil du Contentieux Adminsratif. – (1) As from the 
commencement of this Act, the Court of Conseil du Contentieux Administratif 
shall stand abolished. 

 

(2)  Notwithstanding  such  abolition,  all  cases  pending  before  the  said 
Court immediately before such commencement and those cases that may be 
remanded by the High Court in exercise of its powers as Conseil d’ Etat, shall be 
heard and disposed of by the District Judge or an Additional District Judge sitting 
singly in accordance with the procedure followed immediately before the 
commencement of this Act in so far as it is not inconsistent with the provisions of 
this Act. 

 

 

19. Abolition of the Offices of the Procureur de la Republique. – (1) As from 
the commencement of this Act, the Offices of the Procureur de la Republique shall 
stand abolished. 

 

(2) Notwithstanding such abolition, the Government may, by notification 
in the Official Gazette, empower any officer holding a degree or diploma in law to 
perform the duties and functions of the said offices under the French law in so far 
as may be necessary for such areas as may be specified. 

 

 

20. Pending Proceedings. – (1) Any proceeding of a Civil nature pending in a 
Court immediately before the commencement of this Act shall, on such 
commencement, be deemed to be transferred to the Court exercising jurisdiction 
under this Act in which the proceedings would have lain if it had been instituted 
after such commencement, and the Court to which the proceedings in transferred 
shall proceed to try, hear and determine the matter as if it has been pending 
therein. 

 

(2) Any appeal from a decree or order passed by a Court and not appealed 
against before the commencement of this Act shall lie to the Court exercising 
jurisdiction under this Act to which such appeal would have lain if it had been 
preferred after such commencement. 

 

(3) Any decree or order passed before the commencement of this Act by 
any court shall be deemed, for the purpose of execution, to have been passed by 
the Court exercising jurisdiction under this Act which corresponds, so far as may 
be, to the jurisdiction of the Court which passed the decree or order. 

 

Provided that nothing in sub-section (1) or sub-section   (2) shall be 
construed as extending the period of limitation to which any suit or appeal or 
application my be subject. 

 

 

21. Rule of construction. – References in any law in force in the Union 
territory to the Tribunal Superieur d’ Appel, the Tribunal de lere Instance or the 
Juge de Paix shall be construed as references to the Court of the District Judge or a 
Subordinate Judge or a Munsif as the case may require.



   
 
 
 

-:12:- 
 
 

22. Effect on other laws. – The provisions of this Act shall have effect 
notwithstanding any thing inconsistent therewith contained in any other law in 
force in the Union territory. 

 

 

23. Power to remove difficulties. -- If any difficulty arises in giving effect to 
the provisions of this Act, the Government may, by order published in the Official 
Gazette, make such provisions as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for 
removing the difficulty. 

 

 

24. Repeal and saving – (1) As from the commencement of this Act, any law 
in force  in the  Union territory  including  the  Ordinances,  Decrees and  Arretes 
specified in the Schedule in so far as it makes provisions for the matters covered by 
this Act, shall stand repealed. 

 

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing provisions, the 
constitution and organisation of Courts under this Act shall not prejudicially affect 
the continued operation of any notice served, injunction issued, direction made or 
proceedings taken before the commencement of this Act by any court under the 
powers conferred upon it by any law for the time being in force. 

 
 

THE SCHEDULE 
 

(see section 24) 

 
1.  Royal Ordinance dated 7th February, 1842 relating to judicial organisation. 

 

2.  Decree dated 22nd  August, 1928 determining the status of the colonial 
Magistrates and the composition of Courts, Tribunals, etc. 

 

3.  Decree dated 5th August, 1881 relating to organisation and competency of 
Administrative Courts in the Colonies. 

 

4.  Decree No. 47-707, dated 12th  April, 1947 relating to the setting up of an 
Administrative  Court  (Conseil  du  Contentieux  Administratif)  in  the 
French settlements in India. 

 

5. Decree No. 48-2032, dated 30th  December, 1948 providing for the 
composition of an Administrative Court in French India. 

 

6.  Arrete No. 267, dated 25th February, 1949 determining the functions of the 
Administrative Courts’ Secretary. 

 

7.  Arrete,  dated  1-7-1936  laying  down  the  rules  governing  the  Process 
Servers of the Judicial Department. 

----------------------