Rule 1.
Suits may be instituted by indigent person
Subject to the following provisions, any suit may be instituted by an indigent person.
Rule 5.
Rejection of application
The Court shall reject an application for permission to sue as an indigent person—
(a)where it is not framed and presented in the manner prescribed by rules 2 and 3, or
(b)where the applicant is not an indigent person, or
(c)where he has, within two months next before the presentation of the application, disposed of any property fraudulently or in order to be able to apply for permission to sue as an indigent person:
Provided that no application shall be rejected if, even after the value of the property disposed of by the applicant is taken into account, the applicant would be entitled to sue as an indigent person, or
(d)where his allegations do not show a cause of action, or
(e)where he has entered into any agreement with reference to the subject-matter of the proposed suit under which any other person has obtained an interest in such subject-matter, or
(f)where the allegations show that the suit would be barred by any law for the time being in force, or
(g)where any other person has entered into an agreement with him to finance the litigation.
Rule 8.
Procedure if application admitted
Where the application is granted, it shall be numbered and registered, and shall be deemed the plaint in the suit, and the suit shall proceed in all other respects as a suit instituted in the ordinary manner, except that the plaintiff shall not be liable to pay any court-fee or fees payable for service of process in respect of any petition, appointment of a pleader or other proceeding in the suit.
Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Order 33
Order XXXIII enables indigent persons (in forma pauperis) who lack sufficient means to pay prescribed court fees to institute suits without pre-paying court fees, establishing an inquiry mechanism and recovery upon decree.
If your client cannot afford heavy ad-valorem court fees on a multi-crore damages suit, file an application under Order 33 Rule 1 along with a verified schedule of moveable and immoveable properties; upon establishing indigence, the suit proceeds without advance court fees.