The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC), is a procedural law, enacted as Act No. 5 of 1908, that governs the administration of civil proceedings in India. It was enacted by the Imperial Legislative Council on March 21, 1908, and commenced on January 1, 1909, to consolidate and amend the laws relating to the procedure of the Courts of Civil Judicature. The CPC replaced earlier, less effective versions, including the Code of Civil Procedure, 1882, solving the problem of a lack of a clear, uniform, and efficient system for civil justice across the country.
The Code is structured into two main parts: 158 Sections and a First Schedule containing 51 Orders and Rules. The Sections lay down the substantive principles, such as the jurisdiction of courts under Section 9 (Courts to try all civil suits unless barred), while the Orders provide the detailed procedural mechanism for a suit, from the institution of the suit (Order IV) to the execution of decrees (Order XXI).
The CPC is the civil counterpart to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and it connects to other legislation like the Commercial Courts Act, 2015, which introduced procedural reforms for commercial disputes. Significant amendments, particularly in 1999 and 2002, aimed to reduce delays by introducing measures like a 30-day timeline for filing written statements and strengthening the provision for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) under Section 89. While the core framework of 158 Sections and 51 Orders remains, these amendments reflect an ongoing effort to streamline the judicial process.