A 72
[Subsidiary]
CAP. 4] The Rules of the Supreme Court-Order 20 [1988 Ed.
(3) This rule shall not apply in relation to an amendment which consists of-
(a) the addition, omission or substitution of a party to the action or an alteration of the capacity in which a party to the action sues or is sued, or
(b) the addition or substitution of a new cause of action, or
(c) (without prejudice to rule 3(1)) an amendment of the statement of claim (if any) indorsed on the writ,
unless the amendment is made before service of the writ on any party to the action.
Amendment of acknowledgment of service (O. 20, r. 2)
2. (1) Subject to paragraph (2), a party may not amend his acknowledgment of service without leave of the Court.
(2) A party whose acknowledgment of service contains a statement to the effect that-
(a) he does, or
(b) he does not
intend to contest the proceedings to which the acknowledgment relates may, without the leave of the Court, amend the acknowledgment by substituting for that statement a statement to the opposite effect, provided that in a case falling under sub-paragraph (b) the amendment is made before judgment has been obtained in the proceedings.
(3) Where an acknowledgment of service is authorized to be amended under this rule, a fresh acknowledgment, amended as so authorized, must be handed in at or sent by post to the Registry, and Order 12, rule 4, shall apply.
Amendment of pleadings without leave (O. 20, r. 3)
3.
(1) A party may, without the leave of the Court, amend any pleading of his once at any time before the pleadings are deemed to be closed and, where he does so, he must serve the amended pleading on the opposite party.
(2) Where an amended statement of claim is served on a defendant-
(a) the defendant, if he has already served a defence on the plaintiff, may amend his defence, and
(b) the period for service of his defence or amended defence, as the case may be, shall be either the period fixed by or under these rules for service of his defence or a period of 14 days after the amended statement of claim is served on him, whichever expires later.