Court Can't Proceed Ex-Parte Against Defendant For Not Filing Written Statement After Lawyer Appears And Files Vakalatnama: AP High Court

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has held that once a defendant has entered appearance through an advocate by filing a vakalat, the trial court cannot set the defendant ex parte merely because the written statement was not filed within the stipulated time. [2026 LiveLaw (AP) 163]Instead, the proper course is to forfeit the defendant's right to file the written statement and proceed with the suit...