Published Paper Details:

The Code of Civil Procedure , 1908 (CPC) forms the procedural foundation of India's civil justice system. It provides the legal framework through which courts ensure fair adjudication in civil matters. Among its many provisions, interim relief is one of the most important tools available to courts for ensuring justice during the pendency of a case. Temporary injunctions, attachments before judgement, and appointment of receivers under Orders XXXVII, XXXIX, and XL safeguards rights by preventing irreparable harm and preserving the subject matter of disputes. However, these remedies have often been misused. Courts frequently encounter abuse of ex parte injunctions, forum, shopping, and prolonged interim orders that undermine the objective of quick justice. Through this paper, I analyse how the CPC attempts to balance equity with procedure. I look at landmark judgments such as Dalpat Kumar v Prahlad Singh and Wander Ltd v Antox India (P) Ltd, and also reflect on how, in practice, interim relief sometimes becomes more critical than the final decree itself. The paper argues that while interim relief is indispensable to civil justice, reforms are needed to prevent abuse. Suggestions include stricter timelines, deterrent costs for frivolous litigation, and clearer guidelines for judges. In absence of judicial caution, equitable reliefs mat transform from the tools of protection into instruments of unfair advantage.