ENACTMENT NO. 3 OF 1964 ADMINISTRATION OF MUSLIM LAW ENACTMENT, 1963
PART V - PROCEDURE-GENERAL Procedure-Civil
Section 51. Defence.
(1) A defendant may file a written defence in Court together with as many copies thereof as there are plaintiffs. The Court shall serve a copy of such defence on each plaintiff.
(2) A defendant intending to defend an action, who has not at the time of his first appearance filed a defence and does not desire so to do, shall be required to state orally the grounds of his defence, and shall not thereafter without leave of the Court be allowed to raise other grounds of defence.
(3) If the defendant desires to file a defence, the Court shall fix a period within which he shall do so, such period ordinarily ending on a date not less than seven days prior to the trial or hearing.
(4) If the defendant wishes to raise matters by way of counter claim, the Court may either permit him to do so in the defence aforesaid or may direct him to file separate proceedings.