The Limitation Act, 1908 — Bare Act
The Statute That Decides Whether a Case Can Be Heard at All
Before a court can even consider the merits of a case, one question has to be answered first: was it filed on time? The Limitation Act, 1908 provides the complete statutory text governing the time limits within which suits, appeals, and applications must be filed in Pakistan, published by Mansoor Law Book House.
Why This Bare Act is Essential
The Limitation Act sets out, through its detailed First Schedule, the specific time period within which nearly every type of civil suit, appeal, and application must be brought — and a plea of limitation is treated as a pure question of law that can be raised at virtually any stage of proceedings. The Act's provisions on condonation of delay under Section 5 have generated an enormous body of case law, with courts consistently holding that each day of delay must be individually and satisfactorily explained, and that neither government status nor wrong legal advice from counsel is, by itself, sufficient cause to excuse a late filing. Because a missed limitation period can end a case before it's ever heard on merits, this remains one of the most frequently invoked — and most decisive — statutes in Pakistani civil litigation.
Key Features & Statutory Coverage
- Complete Bare Act Text: The full text of the Act, including the First Schedule setting out limitation periods for specific suits, appeals, and applications.
- Condonation of Delay: Provisions under Section 5 allowing courts to admit a case after the limitation period where sufficient cause is shown.
- Exclusion of Time: Provisions under Sections 14 and 15 excluding certain periods — such as bona fide proceedings in a court lacking jurisdiction — from the limitation calculation.
- Government & Private Litigant Parity: Reflects the established principle that government entities receive no special treatment under limitation law.
- Compact, Practical Edition: A lightweight paperback format for quick statutory reference.
Ideal For:
- Advocates & Litigation Practitioners: Essential for determining filing deadlines and raising or defending against limitation objections in any civil matter.
- Judiciary: A core reference for adjudicating limitation pleas, which frequently arise as preliminary issues.
- Law Students: A foundational bare act text for LLB coursework on civil procedure.
- Judiciary & Bar Exam Candidates: Frequently tested subject matter in judicial service and bar council examinations.
About the Publisher
Published by Mansoor Law Book House, a well-established Lahore-based publisher whose compact, reliable bare act editions have become a go-to reference point for Pakistan's students, advocates, and judiciary.
