suo motu
Meaning. On its own motion, without an application by any party.
A court, tribunal or authority acts suo motu when it starts proceedings or passes an order on its own initiative. The Supreme Court and High Courts take suo motu cognisance of matters of public importance, often on the basis of letters or news reports; courts also initiate criminal contempt suo motu under Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
The phrase is often written suo moto, which is a common misspelling. The power to act suo motu exists only where the law gives it; an authority with no such power must wait for an application.
Example
The High Court took suo motu cognisance of the deaths in the hospital on the basis of a newspaper report.
In Indian law
- Section 15, Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 (cognisance of criminal contempt on the court's own motion)
See also
public interest litigation · contempt of court · cognizance
Read more in the study notes
- Penal provisions for dishonour of cheques (ss.138-148) and the Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 1891 (Banking Law)
- Concurrent and consecutive sentences; appeals, revision and reference (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita)
- Juvenile Justice Act: children in need of care and protection, the Child Welfare Committee and rehabilitation (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita)
- The Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita)
- Duties, powers and functions of the Competition Commission (Competition Law)
- Competition advocacy (Competition Law)