PUNJAB CIVIL COURTS ORDINANCE, 1962

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THE PUNJAB CIVIL COURTS ORDINANCE, 1962 
(II of 1962) 
CONTENTS 
CHAPTER I 
Preliminary 
1. Short title, extent and commencement. 
2. Definitions. 
CHAPTER II 
Civil Courts 
3. Classes of Courts. 
4. Civil Districts. 
5. District Judges. 
6. Additional District Judges. 
7. Original jurisdiction of District Judges in suits. 
8. Civil Judges. 
9. Pecuniary limits of Jurisdiction of Civil Judges. 
10. Local limits of jurisdiction. 
11. [Omitted] 
12. Exercise by Civil Judges of jurisdiction of District Courts in certain 
proceedings. 
13. Places of sitting of Courts. 
14. Control of Courts and presiding officers. 
15. Power to distribute business. 
16. Delegation of powers by District Judges. 
CHAPTER III 
Jurisdiction in Civil Appeals 
17. Appeals from District Judges or Additional District Judges. 
 
18. Appeals from Civil Judges. 
CHAPTER IV 
Supplemental provisions 
19. Continuance of powers of officers. 
20. Provisions regarding petition-writers. 
21. Temporary vacancy of office of District Judge. 
22. Delegation of powers of the District Judge. 
23. Temporary vacancy of office of Civil Judge. 
24. Civil Courts having unlimited jurisdiction regarding value to try suits 
against the State and its servants in their official capacity. 
25. List of holidays. 
26. Seal of the Court. 
27. Power to frame rules. 
28. [Omitted] 
THE SCHEDULE 
 
TEXT 
1
THE 
2
[PUNJAB] CIVIL COURTS ORDINANCE, 1962 
(II of 1962) 
[8 January 1962] 
An 
Ordinance 
to amend and consolidate the law relating to Civil Courts in the Province of 
3
[the 
Punjab]. 
 WHEREAS it is expedient to amend and consolidate the law relating to Civil 
Courts in the Province of 
4
[the Punjab]. 
 NOW, THEREFORE,  in pursuance of the Presidential Proclamation of the 
seventh day of October, 1958, and having received the previous instructions of the 
President, the Governor of West Pakistan is pleased, in exercise of all powers 
enabling him in that behalf, to make and promulgate the following Ordinance:– 
CHAPTER I 
Preliminary 
1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Ordinance may be called 
the 
5
[Punjab] Civil Courts Ordinance, 
6
[1962]. 
7
[(2) It extends to whole of the Punjab.] 
8
[(3) It shall come into force at once.] 
2. Definitions.– In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires, the 
following expressions shall have the meanings hereby respectively assigned to 
them, that is to say– 
9
[(a) “Government” means Government of the Punjab;] 
10
[(b) “High Court” means Lahore High Court;] 
                                                           
1This Ordinance was promulgated by the Governor of West Pakistan on November  10, 1961, published in the Gazette of West 
Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated January 8, 1962, pp. 87-96, saved and given permanent effect by Article 225 of the Constitution 
of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (1962). 
2Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (1 of 1974)  (w.e.f. 14. 8.1973), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated November 20, 1974, pp.  1425-A-1425-PP, Article 2(1) read with 
Schedule, Part III, Serial No. 49. 
3Ibid. 
4Ibid. 
5Ibid. 
6The figure “1961” corrected through corrigendum. 
7Substituted by the Punj ab Civil Courts (Amendment) Act 2016 (XXXVIII of 2016), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated September 2, 2016, pp. 1503-1504, s. 2(a). 
8Ibid., s. 2(b). 
9Ibid., s. 3(i). 
10Ibid., s. 3(ii). 
 
(c) “land” means land which is not occupied as the site of any building in a 
town or village and is occupied or has been let for agricultural purposes 
or for purposes subservient to agriculture or for pasture, and includes 
the sites of buildings and other structures on such lands; 
(d) “land suit” means a suit relating to land or to any right or interest in 
land; 
(e) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Ordinance; 
1
[(f) “small cause” means a suit or claim cognizable by a court established 
under the Small Claims and Minor Offences Courts Ordinance, 2002 
(XXVI of 2002);] 
(g) “unclassed suit” means a suit which is neither a small cause nor a land 
suit; and 
(h) “value” used with reference to a suit means the amount or value of the 
subject matter of the suit. 
CHAPTER II 
Civil Courts 
3. Classes of Courts .– Besides 
2
[a court established under the Small Claims 
and Minor Offences Courts Ordinance, 2002 (XXVI of 2002)] , and the Courts 
established under any other enactment for the time being in force, there shall be the 
following classes of Civil Courts, namely:– 
(a) the Court of the District Judge; 
(b) the Court of the Additional District Judge; and  
(c) the Court of the Civil Judge. 
4. Civil Districts .– For the purposes of this Ordinance, Government may, by  
notification, divide the Province into civil districts, fix the limits of such districts and 
determine the headquarters of each such district. 
5. District Judges .– Government shall, in consultation with the High Court, 
appoint as many persons as it thinks  necessary to be District Judges and post a 
District Judge to each district: 
Provided that the same person may be appointed to be District Judge of two 
or more districts. 
6.  Additional District Judges .– (1) Government may, in consultation with the 
High Court, appoint as many Additional District Judges as may be necessary. 
(2) An Additional District Judge shall discharge such functions of a District 
Judge as the District Judge may assign to him, and in the discharge of those 
functions he shall exercise the same powers as the District Judge. 
                                                           
1Substituted by the Punjab Civil Courts (Amendment ) Act 2016 (XXXVIII of 2016), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated September 2, 2016, pp. 1503-1504, s. 3(iii). 
2Substituted for the expression “the Courts of Small Causes established under the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act, 1887” by 
the Punjab Civil Courts (Amendment) Act 2016 (XXXVIII of 2016), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 
September 2, 2016, pp. 1503-1504, s. 4. 
 
7.  Original jurisdiction of District Judges in suits .– Except as otherwise 
provided by any enactment for the time being in force, the Court of the District Judge 
shall have jurisdiction in original civil suits without limit as regards the value. 
8.  Civil Judges.– Government may, in consultation with the High Court– 
(a) fix the number of Civil Judges to be appointed; 
(b) make rules prescribing qualifications for recruitment of persons 
as Civil Judges; and 
(c) appoint as many Civil Judges as may be deemed necessary. 
9. Pecuniary limits of Jurisdiction of Civil Judges .– The jurisdiction to be 
exercised in original civil suits as regards the value by any person appointed to be a 
Civil Judge shall be determined by the High Cou rt either by including him in a class 
or otherwise as it thinks fit. 
10. Local limits of jurisdiction .– (1) The local limits of the jurisdiction of a Civil 
Judge shall be such as the High Court may define. 
(2) When the High Court posts a Civil Judge to a d istrict, the local limits of 
the district shall, in the absence of any direction to the contrary, be deemed to be the 
local limits of his jurisdiction. 
1
[11.  Power to invest Civil Judges with Small Cause Courts 
jurisdiction.– *  * * * * * * * * *   ] 
12.  Exercise by Civil Judges of jurisdiction of District Courts in certain 
proceedings.– (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Succession Act, 1925
2
, 
the High Court may, by general or special order, authorise any Civil Judge to take 
cognizance of or any District Judge to transfer to a Civil Judge under his control, any 
proceedings or class of proceedings under the said Act. 
(2) The District Judge may withdraw any such proceedings taken 
cognizance of by or transferred to a Civil Judge, and may either hi mself dispose of 
them or transfer them to a Court under his control competent to dispose of them:  
Provided that nothing herein contained shall empower a District Judge to 
withdraw such proceedings as have been specifically transferred from his Court by 
the High Court. 
(3) Proceedings taken cognizance of by or transferred to a Civil Judge, as 
the case may be, under this section, shall be disposed of by him subject to the rules 
applicable to like proceedings when disposed of by the District Judge. 
13.  Places of sitting of Courts .– (1) The High Court may fix the place or places 
at which any Court under this Ordinance is to be held. 
(2) The place or places so fixed may be beyond the local limits of the 
jurisdiction of the Court. 
                                                           
1Omitted by the Punjab Civil Courts (Amendment) Act 2016 (XXXVIII of 2016), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), 
dated September 2, 2016, pp. 1503-1504, s. 5.  
2XXXIX of 1925.  
 
(3) Except as may be otherwise provided by any order under this section, 
a Court under this Ordinance may be held at any place within the local limits of its 
jurisdiction. 
14.  Control of Courts and presiding officers .– (1) All Civil Courts in the areas 
to which this Ordinance extends s hall be subordinate to the High Court, and, subject 
to the general superintendence and control of the High Court, the District Judge shall 
have control over all Civil Courts within the local limits of his jurisdiction. 
(2) The posting of Civil Judges shall be made by the High Court. 
15.  Power to distribute business .– Notwithstanding anything contained in the 
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
1
, every District Judge may by written order direct that 
any civil business cognizable by his Court and the Courts under his control shall be 
distributed among such Courts in such manner as he thinks fit: 
Provided that no direction issued under this section shall empower any Court 
to exercise any powers or deal with any business beyond the limits of its jurisdiction. 
16. Delegation of powers by District Judges .– A District Judge may, with the 
previous sanction of the High Court, delegate, in respect of any specified portion of 
the district, to any Civil Judge in the district, his powers under sections 14 and 15 of 
this Ordinance and the powers of the District Court under section 24 of the Code of 
Civil Procedure, 1908
2
, and such powers may be exercised by such Civil Judge 
subject to the general control of the District Judge. 
CHAPTER III 
Jurisdiction in Civil Appeals 
17. Appeals from District Judges or Additional District Judges .– (1) Save as 
otherwise provided by any enactment for the time being in force, an appeal from a 
decree or order of a District Judge or Additional District Judge exercising original 
jurisdiction shall lie to the High Court. 
(2) An appeal shall not lie to the High Court from a decree or order of an 
Additional District Judge in any case in which, if the decree or order had been made 
by the District Judge, an appeal would not lie to that Court. 
18. Appeals from Civil Judges.– (1) Save as aforesaid, an appeal from a decree 
or order of a Civil Judge shall lie– 
(a) to the High Court if the value of the original suit in which the decree or 
order was made exceeds 
3
[
4
[
5
[
6
[fifty million]]]] rupees; and 
                                                           
1V of 1908. 
2V of 1908. 
3Substituted for the words “twenty five” by the Punjab Civil courts (Amendment) Ordinance, 1978 (XX of 1978), published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated September 20, 1978, pp. 1289-1290, s. 2. 
4Substituted for the word “fifty” by the Punjab Civil Courts Ordinance (Amendment) Act, 1986 (V of 1986), published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated June 14, 1986, pp. 1311-1312, s. 2. 
5Substituted for the word “two” by the Punjab Civil Courts (Amendment) Ordinance, 2002 (LV of 2002), published in the Punjab 
Gazette (Extraordinary), dated September 26, 2002, pp. 2809-2810, s. 2. 
6Substituted for the words “twenty five hundred thousand” by the Punjab Civil Courts (Amendment) Act 2016 (XXXVIII of 2016), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated September 2, 2016, pp. 1503-1504, s. 6.  
 
(b) to the District Judge in any other case. 
(2) Where the function of receiving any appeals which lie to the District 
Judge under the last preceding sub -section has been assigned to an Additional 
District Judge, the appeals may be preferred to the Additional District Judge. 
(3) The High Court may, by notification, direct that appeals lying to the 
District Judge from all or any of the decrees or orders passed in any original suit by 
any Civil Judge shall be referred to such other Civil Judge as may be mentioned in 
the no tification, and the appeals shall thereupon be preferred accordingly, and the 
Court of such Civil Judge shall be deemed to be a District Court for the purposes of 
all appeals so preferred. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
Supplemental provisions 
19.  Continuance of powers of o fficers.– Whenever any person holding an 
office in the service of the State who has been invested with any powers under this 
Ordinance throughout any local area is transferred or posted at any subsequent time 
to an equal or higher office of the same nature  within a like local area, he shall, 
unless the High Court otherwise directs or has otherwise directed, exercise the same 
powers in the local area to which he is so transferred or posted. 
20.  Provisions regarding petition-writers.– The High Court, in consultation with 
the Board of Revenue, 
1
[Punjab], may make rules consistent with this Ordinance and 
any other enactment for the time being in force– 
(a) declaring what persons shall be permitted to act as petition -writers in 
Courts; 
(b) regulating the issue o f licences to such persons, the conduct of 
business by them and the scale of fees to be charged by them; and 
(c) determining the authority by which breaches of such rules shall be 
investigated and the penalties which may be imposed. 
21. Temporary vacancy o f office of District Judge .– In the event of the death 
of a District Judge or of his being prevented from performing his duties by illness or 
other cause, the Additional District Judge, if any, or in the absence of the Additional 
District Judge from the di strict, the senior most of the Civil Judges at the 
headquarters, shall assume charge of the district without interruption of his ordinary 
jurisdiction, and while so in charge shall perform the duties of the District Judge with 
respect to the filing of suits and appeals, receiving pleadings, execution of processes 
and the like, and shall be designated Additional District Judge or Civil Judge, as the 
case may be, in charge of the district and shall continue in such charge until the 
office of the District Judg e has been resumed or assumed by an officer duly 
appointed thereto. 
                                                           
1Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (1 of 1974)  (w.e.f. 14.8.1973) , 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated November 20, 1974, pp.  1425-A-1425-PP, Article 2(1) read with 
Schedule, Part III, Serial No. 49. 
 
22. Delegation of powers of the District Judge.– Any District Judge, leaving the 
headquarters and proceeding on duty to any place within his jurisdiction or in the 
event of his absence fro m the district on leave, may delegate to the Additional 
District Judge or in the absence of an Additional District Judge to the senior most of 
the Civil Judges at the headquarters, the powers of performing any of the duties 
enumerated in section 21 that ma y be emergent; and such officer shall be 
designated Additional District Judge or Civil Judge, as the case may be, in charge of 
the district. 
23. Temporary vacancy of office of Civil Judge .– In the event of the death, 
suspension or temporary absence of any Civil Judge, the District Judge, may 
empower any other Civil Judge of the district to perform the duties of the Judge of 
the vacated Civil Court, either at the place of such Court or of his own Court, but in 
every such case the registers and records of the two Courts shall be kept separately. 
24. Civil Courts having unlimited jurisdiction regarding value to try suits 
against the State and its servants in their official capacity .– (1) No Civil Court 
not having jurisdiction in original suits without limit as regards value and no Court of 
the Small Causes shall receive, entertain or register any suit in which Pakistan or 
any of its Provinces or any public officer as defined in clause (17) of section 2 of the 
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
1
, in his official capacity is a party 
2
[:] 
3
[
4
[ * * * * * * * * *  ]] 
(2) In every such case the plaintiff shall be referred to the Court of the Civil 
Judge having jurisdiction in original suits without limit as regards value and such suit 
shall be instituted only in the Court o f such Civil Judge and shall be heard at the 
headquarters of the district. 
5
[
6
[(2-A) * * * * * * * *  ]] 
7
[
8
[(2-B) * * * * * * * *  ]] 
(3) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to apply to a suit relating to the 
affairs of a Government Railway or to any suit merely because a public officer is a 
party thereto, in his capacity as– 
(a) a member of a local authority; or 
                                                           
1V of 1908. 
2Replaced for the f ull-stop by the West Pakistan Civil Court s (Amendment) Ordinance, 1963 (XII of 1963), published in the 
Gazette of West Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated July 17, 1963, pp. 2191-2192, s. 2. 
3Added by the Ordinance ibid. 
4Proviso deleted by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (1 of 1974)  (w.e.f. 14.8.1973), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated November 20, 1974, pp. 1425-A-1425-PP, Article 2(1) read with Schedule, Part III, Serial No. 49. 
5Ibid. 
6Deleted by the Order ibid. 
7Inserted by the West Pakistan Civil Courts (Amendment) Act, 1963 (XV of 1963), published in the Gazette of West Pakistan 
(Extraordinary), dated July 19, 1963, pp. 3167-3168, s. 2. 
8Deleted by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (1 of 1974)  (w.e.f. 14.8.1973) , published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated November 20, 1974, pp. 1425-A-1425-PP, Article 2(1) read with Schedule, Part III, Serial No. 49. 
 
(b) curator, guardian, manager or representative of a private person or 
estate in  virtue of an appointment, delegation, declaration or exerc ise 
of powers under– 
(i) Order XXXII, rule 4(4) of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
1
; 
(ii) section 195 of the Succession Act, 1925
2
; 
(iii) section 69 or 71 of the Lunacy Act, 1912
3
; 
(iv) section 7, 18 or 42 of the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890
4
; or 
(v) any provision of any 
5
[Punjab] enactment relating to Court of 
Wards. 
25. List of holidays .– (1) Subject to such general orders as may be made by 
Government, the High Court shall prepare a list of days to be observed in each year 
as holidays in the Civil Courts. 
(2) Every such list shall be published in the Official Gazette. 
26. Seal of the Court .– Every Court shall have and use, as the occasion may 
arise, a circular seal two inches in diameter bearing round its circumference the title 
of the Court in English and Urdu script and in the centre a device and impression of 
a crescent moon with the horns pointing upwards surmounted by a star, and the said 
seal shall be delivered to and kept in the custody of the presiding officer of the Court. 
27. Power to frame rul es.– (1) The High Court may, with the approval of 
Government, frame rules for the purposes of carrying into effect the provisions of this 
Ordinance. 
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing 
power, the High Court may, with  the approval of Government, frame rules for all or 
any of the following purposes, namely:– 
(a) the supervision of all Civil Courts and their visitation and 
inspection; 
(b) the exercise by the District Judges of the general control vested 
in them over the Civil Courts in their respective districts; 
(c) the places and times for the holding of Civil Courts; 
(d) the fees to be charged for processes issued by the Civil Courts 
or by any officer of any such Court; 
(e) the fees payable in any suit or proceeding in  any Civil Court by 
any party in respect of the fees of the pleader of any other party; 
and 
                                                           
1V of 1908. 
2XXXIX of 1925. 
3IV of 1912. 
4VIII of 1890. 
5Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (1 of 1 974) (w.e.f. 14.8.1973) , 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated November 20, 1974, pp.  1425-A-1425-PP, Article 2(1) read with 
Schedule, Part III, Serial No. 49. 
 
(f) the manner in which the proceedings of the Civil Courts shall be 
kept and recorded, the manner in which the paper books for the 
hearing of appeals shall be prepared and the granting of copies. 
1
[28. Repeal and savings.– * * * * * *   ] 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2
[THE SCHEDULE] 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
1Omitted by the Punjab Civil Courts (Amendment) Act 2016 (XXXVIII of 2016), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), 
dated September 2, 2016, pp. 1503-1504, s. 7. 
2Ibid., s. 8.