Rule 1.
Court may grant time and adjourn hearing (Three Adjournment Limit)
(1)The court may, if sufficient cause is shown, at any stage of the suit grant time to the parties or to any of them, and may from time to time adjourn the hearing of the suit for reasons to be recorded in writing:
Provided that no such adjournment shall be granted more than three times to a party during hearing of the suit.
(2)Costs of adjournment: In every such case the Court shall fix a day for the further hearing of the suit, and shall make such order as to costs occasioned by the adjournment or such higher costs as the Court deems fit:
Provided that :
(a)when the hearing of the suit has commenced, it shall be continued from day-to-day until all the witnesses in attendance have been examined;
(b)no adjournment shall be granted at the request of a party, except where the circumstances are beyond the control of that party;
(c)the fact that the pleader of a party is engaged in another Court, shall not be a ground for adjournment.
Rule 2.
Procedure if parties fail to appear on day fixed
Where, on any day to which the hearing of the suit is adjourned, the parties or any of them fail to appear, the Court may proceed to dispose of the suit in one of the modes directed in that behalf by Order IX or make such other order as it thinks fit.
Rule 3.
Court may proceed notwithstanding party fails to produce evidence
Where any party to a suit to whom time has been granted fails to produce his evidence, or to cause the attendance of his witnesses, or to perform any other act necessary to the further progress of the suit, for which time has been allowed, the Court may, notwithstanding such default:
(a)if the parties are present, proceed to decide the suit forthwith; or
(b)if the parties are, or any of them is, absent, proceed under rule 2.
Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Order 17
Order XVII strictly regulates adjournments during civil trials, imposing a statutory cap of three adjournments per party during the hearing and prescribing costs and default dismissal procedures.
Never exhaust your three adjournments on routine grounds; once your third adjournment is granted, you must be ready with witnesses and evidence on the next date, as the court is empowered under *Shiv Cotex* to close your evidence under Rule 3.