Rule 3 of CPC : Rule 3: Who May Be Joined As Defendants

Explanation using Example

Imagine that a homeowner hires a contractor to renovate their kitchen and the contractor, in turn, hires a plumber and an electrician as subcontractors. If the renovation is poorly done, the homeowner could potentially file a lawsuit for damages. According to Rule 3 of The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, the homeowner can join the contractor, the plumber, and the electrician as defendants in a single lawsuit. This is because:

• The homeowner's right to relief (compensation for the poorly done renovation) arises out of the same series of transactions (the renovation contract and work done).
• If the homeowner were to file separate lawsuits against each party, common questions of law (like breach of contract) and fact (how the renovation work was carried out) would arise.

Thus, to save time and resources, all parties involved can be addressed in one single suit.